Obj. ID: 36695  Day of Atonement buckle, Lviv (Lvov, Lwów, Lemberg), 1821

The following description was prepared by William Gross:

The custom of wearing a special belt with an inscribed silver buckle for the prayers of the day of Yom Kippur originated in Galicia at some point in the 18th century.  Only one example, however, remains from that time. All the others date from the beginning of the 19th century to just after the middle of that period.  As Galician Jews began to immigrate to Austria during the 19th century, this custom followed them and examples are found from Vienna after 1850 (see Gross Family Collection 043.001.001). This particular style of the buckle, with the two lions holding an inscribed wreath, is the classic design made in Lviv in 1821 and is seen in several slight variations.

Inscription:  For on this day shall atonement be made for you, to cleanse you; from all your sins shall you be clean before the Lord (Leviticus 16:30)