Megillah: Scroll of the Book of Esther

A megillah is the common name for the biblical book of Esther written in scroll format. Publicly read during the celebration of the Jewish festival of Purim, the work commemorates the triumph of the Jews of the Persian Empire over their archenemy, Haman, in the 5th century BCE. This scroll, which is wrapped around a carved ivory handle, is a combination of printed engravings and text copied by hand. It is profusely illustrated, with columns, garlands, cherubs, baskets and vases with flowers surrounding the text panels. Landscapes on the upper margins allude to the vastness of the Persian Empire, while the lower margins closely follow the narrative of the story. The rightmost panel displayed showcases the banquet at the palace of Persian King Ahasuerus as he gathers guests to celebrate his reign. The middle panel depicts Vashti, the former queen and wife of Ahasuerus, who punished her for refusing to show off her beauty to the guests. In the third visible panel, Mordecai, a cousin and guardian of the future queen Esther, watches the gates of Shushan, then the capital of the Persian Empire.