Sagittarius and Pisces from BL Add 26896, f. 155v
Zodiac sign of Sagittarius (~Qeshet~) and Pisces (~Dagim~) in medallions, accompanying a liturgical poem (~piyyut~) for the Prayer for dew during Passover. Image taken from f. 155v of Festival prayer book (~mah... More
Leo and Virgo from BL Add 26896, f. 154v
Zodiac signs of Leo (~Arie~) and Virgo (~Betulah~) in medallions, accompanying a liturgical poem (~piyyut~) for the Prayer for dew during Passover. Image taken from f. 154v of Festival prayer book (~mahzor~) fo... More
Taurus and Gemini from BL Add 26896, f. 153v
Zodiac signs of Taurus (~Shor~) and of Gemini (~teomim~) in medallions, accompanying a liturgical poem (~piyyut~) for the Prayer for dew during Passover. Image taken from f. 153v of Festival prayer book (~mahzo... More
Leo and Virgo from BL Add 26896, f. 154v
Detail: zodiac signs of Leo (~Arie~) and Virgo (~Betulah~) in medallions, accompanying a liturgical poem (~piyyut~) for the Prayer for dew during Passover. Image taken from f. 154v of Festival prayer book (~mah... More
Aries from BL Add 26896, f. 153
Zodiac sign of Aries (~Taleh~) in a medallion, accompanying a liturgical poem (~piyyut~) for the Prayer for dew during Passover. Image taken from f. 153 of Festival prayer book (~mahzor~) for the Special Shabba... More
Penwork decoration from BL Or 1404, f. 28v
Keywords of a ~piyyut~ (liturgical poem) for Passover included into two vertical bands with penwork decoration. Image taken from f. 28v of Haggadah with commentary and liturgical poems for Passover (the 'Brothe... More
Decorated initial word from BL Or 2733, f. 2v
Initial word ~melekh~ (king) with its third letter filled with foliate motifs, at the beginning of a ~piyyut~ (liturgical poem) for the first day of Rosh ha-Shanah (Davidson, vol. 3, no. 1529). The word ~hayyim... More
Hybrids from BL Add 26896, f. 337v
Detail: two decorated initial words with a hybrid in between, at the beginning of a liturgical poem for Shavuot (Festival of Weeks) (for the poem, see Davidson vol. 1, no. 7694). Image taken from f. 337v of Fes... More
Lioness from BL Add 16577, f. 78v
Initial word decorated with a foliate scroll and accompanied by a resting lioness, at the beginning of a liturgical poem for Passover. Image taken from f. 78v of Festival prayer book, Italian rite. Written in Hebrew.
Stag from BL Add 16577, f. 61 - Public domain medieval manuscript
Detail of an initial word decorated with a foliate scroll and accompanied by a resting stag, at the beginning of a liturgical poem for Passover. Image taken from f. 61 of Festival prayer book, Italian rite. Wri... More
Historiated initial-word panel from BL Add 22413, f. 148
Historiated initial-word panel of a man holding a pitcher and a cup, at the beginning of a liturgical poem for Simhat Torah (Davidson vol. 1, no. 8400). Image taken from f. 148 of Festival prayer book for Shavu... More
Decorated initial-word panel from BL Add 14762, f. 43
Detail of an initial-word panel decorated with foliate motifs, at the beginning of the liturgical poem for Passover, 'Many were the miracles' (Davidson vol. 1, 2175). A torso of a bearded man is holding a blank... More
Inhabited initial word from BL Add 26970, f. 106v
Initial word ~lel~ (night) inhabited by dragons, at the beginning of a liturgical poem for Passover (for the poem, see Davidson, vol. 3, 726). Image taken from f. 106v of Festival prayer book (ff. 1-167v), ~Iss... More
Decorated initial word panel from BL Or 1404, f. 29v
Decorated initial-word panel with gold letters and the keywords of a ~piyyut~ (liturgical poem) for Passover included into vertical band with penwork decoration. Image taken from f. 29v of Haggadah with comment... More
Hybrid from BL Or 42, f. 27v - Public domain medieval manuscript
Hybrid next to the initial word, at a liturgical poem for Rosh ha-Shanah composed by Rabbi Simeon bar Isaac ben Abun of Mainz (Davidson vol. 1, no. 8906). Image taken from f. 27v of Festival prayer book (~mahzo... More
Decorated initial-word panel from BL Add 14762, f. 39
Initial-word panel ~Nishmat~ (breath) with gold letters surrounded by foliate motifs, at the beginning of the liturgical poem, 'The breath of every living thing'. Image taken from f. 39 of Haggadah for Passover... More
Lion from BL Add 14762, f. 46v - Public domain medieval manuscript
Initial-word panel decorated with foliate motifs, at the beginning of a liturgical poem, 'For to Him praise is proper' (Davidson vol. 2, 215). Under the panel, there is a lion. Image taken from f. 46v of Haggad... More
Stag from BL Add 16577, f. 61 - Public domain medieval manuscript
Initial word decorated with a foliate scroll and accompanied by a resting stag, at the beginning of a liturgical poem for Passover. Image taken from f. 61 of Festival prayer book, Italian rite. Written in Hebrew.
Sukkot from BL Add 22413, f. 85
Historiated initial-word panel of a man with animal head holding a ~lulav~ and an ~etrog~ (four different kinds of plants with symbolic significance connected to the feast of Sukkot), at the beginning of a litu... More
Receiving the Law from BL Add 22413, f. 3
Detail of a page; historiated initial-word panel of the Receiving the Law with Moses streching his hands for the tablets and Aaron (shown as a Christian bishop) and the Israelites (divided according to sex) wa... More
Receiving the Law from BL Add 22413, f. 3
Historiated initial-word panel of the Receiving the Law with Moses streching his hands for the tablets and Aaron (shown as a Christian bishop) and the Israelites (divided according to sex) waiting at the foot ... More
Shemini Atzeret from BL Add 22413, f. 131
Inhabited initial-word panel at the beginning of a ~piyyut~ (liturgical poem) for Shemini Atzeret (Davidson vol. 1, no. 1835). The red panel of the gold letters is surrounded by a larger panel with foliate deco... More
Decorated initial-word panels from BL Or 1404, f. 30
Keywords of a ~piyyut~ (liturgical poem) for Passover, ~lel shimurim~ (The night of the vigils) are included into panels with penwork and foliate decoration. Image taken from f. 30 of Haggadah with commentary ... More
Initial-word panel from BL Add 22413, f. 98
Detail of a page: inhabited initial-word panel with foliate and vine scroll decoration, and a hybrid, at the beginning of a liturgical poem for the second day of Sukkot composed by Eleazar ha-Kallir (Davidson v... More
Decorated initial word from BL Add 26897, f. 223
Initial word ~shoshan~ (lily) with its letters filled with geometric design and with modest penwork decoration around them, at the beginning of a liturgical poem for Yom Kippur (for the poem, see Davidson vol. ... More
Decorated initial-word panel from BL Add 14762, f. 45
Detail of an initial-word panel with gold letters decorated with foliate motifs, at the beginning of a liturgical poem for Passover, 'The strength of your miraculous powers' (Davidson vol. 1, 1871). Next to the... More
Initial-word panel from BL Add 22413, f. 98
Inhabited initial-word panel with foliate and vine scroll decoration, and a hybrid, at the beginning of a liturgical poem for the second day of Sukkot composed by Eleazar ha-Kallir (Davidson vol. 1, no. 13). Im... More
Lion from BL Add 14762, f. 46v - Public domain medieval manuscript
Detail of an initial-word panel decorated with foliate motifs, at the beginning of a liturgical poem, 'For to Him praise is proper' (Davidson vol. 2, 215). Under the panel, there is a lion. Image taken from f. ... More
Bear from BL Add 16577, f. 59 - Public domain medieval manuscript
Initial word decorated with a foliate scroll and accompanied by a bear, at the beginning of a liturgical poem for Passover. Image taken from f. 59 of Festival prayer book, Italian rite. Written in Hebrew.
Shemini Atzeret from BL Add 22413, f. 131
Detail of a page: inhabited initial-word panel at the beginning of a ~piyyut~ (liturgical poem) for Shemini Atzeret (Davidson vol. 1, no. 1835). Image taken from f. 131 of Festival prayer book for Shavuot (Feas... More
Inhabited initial word from BL Or 42, f. 10v
Initial word inhabited by dragons, at a liturgical poem for Rosh ha-Shanah (Davidson, vol. 1, no. 7106). Image taken from f. 10v of Festival prayer book (~mahzor~) for Rosh ha-Shanah and the Yom Kippur, and beg... More
Vision of Ezekiel from BL Add 11639, f. 354v
The four creatures described in the vision of Ezekiel (Ez. 1:5-12) incorporated into a frame around a liturgical poem referring to the Divine Throne written by Benjamin bar Samuel (Davidson vol.2 , no. 190). I... More
Lioness from BL Add 16577, f. 78v
Detail of an initial word decorated with a foliate scroll and accompanied by a resting lioness, at the beginning of a liturgical poem for Passover. Image taken from f. 78v of Festival prayer book, Italian rite.... More
Decorated initial-word panel from BL Add 14762, f. 39
Detail of an initial-word panel ~Nishmat~ (breath) with gold letters surrounded by foliate motifs, at the beginning of the liturgical poem, 'The breath of every living thing'. Image taken from f. 39 of Haggadah... More
Historiated initial-word panel from BL Add 22413, f. 148
Detail: historiated initial-word panel of a man holding a pitcher and a cup, at the beginning of a liturgical poem for Simhat Torah (Davidson vol. 1, no. 8400). Image taken from f. 148 of Festival prayer book f... More
Decorated initial word from BL Add 26897, f. 47v
Initial word ~melekh~ (king) framed by an arcade flanked by two towers. Both the letters of the initial word and the arcade are filled with geometric design, at the beginning of a liturgical poem for Rosh ha-Sh... More
Inhabited initial word from BL Add 26896, f. 32v
Initial word inhabited by hybrids and framed by an arcade with two towers and inhabited by dogs chasing deer, at the beginning of a liturgical poem for ~Shabbat Sheqalim~ (for the poem, see Davidson vol. 1, no.... More
Inhabited initial word from BL Or 42, f. 26v
Initial word ~melekh~ (king) inhabited by hybrids, at a liturgical poem for Rosh ha-Shanah composed by Rabbi Simeon bar Isaac ben Abun of Mainz (Davidson vol. 3, no. 1543). Image taken from f. 26v of Festival p... More
Decorated initial-word panel from BL Or 1404, f. 28
Decorated initial word panel at the beginning of a ~piyyut~ (liturgical poem) for Passover. The keyword of the poem ~Pesah~ (Passover) is included into a vertical band filled with penwork decoration. Image tak... More
Inhabited initial word from BL Or 42, f. 1
Initial word, ~melekh~ (king) inhabited by hybrids and dragons, at a liturgical poem for Rosh ha-Shanah (Davidson, vol. 3, no. 1529). Image taken from f. 1 of Festival prayer book (~mahzor~) for Rosh ha-Shanah ... More
Bear from BL Add 16577, f. 59 - Public domain medieval manuscript
Detail of an initial word decorated with a foliate scroll and accompanied by a bear, at the beginning of a liturgical poem for Passover. Image taken from f. 59 of Festival prayer book, Italian rite. Written in Hebrew.
Decorated initial-word panel from BL Add 14762, f. 43
Initial-word panel decorated with foliate motifs, at the beginning of the liturgical poem for Passover, 'Many were the miracles' (Davidson vol. 1, 2175). A torso of a bearded man is holding a blank banderole an... More
Decorated initial word from BL Add 26897, f. 32v
Initial word with modest penwork decoration around its letters, at the beginning of a liturgical poem for the afternoon service of Rosh ha-Shanah (for the poem, see Davidson vol. 1, no. 6823). Image taken from ... More
Hybrid from BL Add 26896, f. 337v
Two decorated initial words with a hybrid in between, at the beginning of a liturgical poem for Shavuot (Festival of Weeks) (for the poem, see Davidson vol. 1, no. 7694). Image taken from f. 337v of Festival pr... More
Decorated initial-word panel from BL Add 14762, f. 45
Initial-word panel with gold letters decorated with foliate motifs, at the beginning of a liturgical poem for Passover, 'The strength of your miraculous powers' (Davidson vol. 1, 1871). Next to the panel, the t... More
Decorated initial word from BL Add 10456, f. 92v
Initial word decorated with foliate and penwork in black ink, at the beginning of a ~piyyut~ (liturgical poem) for the seventh day of Passover (for the poem, see Davidson, vol. 2, no. 239). Image taken from f. ... More
Cauldron from BL Add 10456, f. 47v
Initial word decorated with foliate motifs and a small cauldron is hanging on a sprig, at the beginning of a ~piyyut~ (liturgical poem) for ~Shabbat ha-Gadol~ (for the poem, see Davidson, vol. 1, no. 1086). The... More
Decorated initial word from BL Add 10456, f. 51
Initial word decorated with foliate motifs in black ink and red, at the beginning of a ~piyyut~ (liturgical poem) for the first day of Passover (for the poem, see Davidson, vol. 1, no. 1962). Image taken from f... More
Red heifer from BL Add 10456, f. 28v
Detail of a page: miniature of a red heifer in the lower margin illustrating a ~piyyut~ (liturgical poem) for ~Shabbat Parah~. Caption: ‘Red heifer’. Mutilated by a later trimming. Image taken from f. 28v of Fe... More
Red heifer from BL Add 10456, f. 28v
Miniature of a red heifer in the lower margin illustrating a ~piyyut~ (liturgical poem) for ~Shabbat Parah~. Caption: ‘Red heifer’. Mutilated by a later trimming. Image taken from f. 28v of Festival prayer book... More
Decorated initial word from BL Add 10456, f. 1v
Initial word decorated with foliate motifs in ink, at the beginning of a ~piyyut~ (liturgical poem) for Hanukkah (for the poem, see Davidson vol. 1, no. 1651). Image taken from f. 1v of Festival prayer book (~m... More
Embellished column from BL Add 26968, f. 270v
Embellished column made up of initial-word panels and panels inhabited by horsemen and a hare, at a liturgical poem for Yom Kippur (for the poem, see Davidson vol. 1, no. 1262). Image taken from f. 270v of Pray... More
Man pointing to his eye from BL Add 26968, f. 207v
Detail of a marginal painting of a man pointing to his eye, at a liturgical poem for 10 of Tevet (a Jewish fast day) starting with 'Be your eyes open' (for the poem, see Davidson vol. 3, no. 118). Image taken f... More
Man pointing to his eye from BL Add 26968, f. 207v
Marginal painting of a man pointing to his eye, at a liturgical poem for 10 of Tevet (a Jewish fast day) starting with 'Be your eyes open' (for the poem, see Davidson vol. 3, no. 118). Image taken from f. 207v ... More
Torah scroll from BL Add 26968, f. 139v
Illumination of a man holding a Torah scroll in front of the open Torah Ark, and behind him a congregation in prayer, at a liturgical poem for Passover (for the poem, see Davidson, vol. 1, no. 3139). Image take... More
Yom Kippur from BL Add 16916, f. 62
Full-page decoration at the beginning of a ~piyyut~ (liturgical poem) for Yom Kippur (Davidson vol. 1, no. 2106). The text of the poem is surrounded by an architectural frame with towers on both sides and with... More