Showing Results 1 - 9 of 9
Tomb of Cyrus, King of Persia (reigned 559–530 BCE). The tomb stands in Cyrus’ capital, Pasargadae (near today’s Shiraz, Iran). See the Cyrus Cylinder for Cyrus’ role in the return of Judeans from…
The ketubah is a religious and legal contract of marriage. Traditionally, it outlines the conjugal and economic conditions of a marriage and is written in Aramaic. This ornate one from Isfahan, Iran…
The use of wall niches for Torah scrolls was a feature of some of the earliest synagogues and continues today in Mizrahi communities. This striking faience-tile mosaic structure would have decorated a…
Darius and Xerxes, Kings of Persia. Darius I (reigned 522–486 BCE) is seated on his throne, and his successor, Xerxes (reigned 486–465 BCE), stands behind him. The Bible refers to these kings several…
Samaria ostracon (A Shipment of Wine), early 8th century BCE, from the ruins of a building near the royal palace. The text can be read here.
These small Torah finials, decorated with silver repoussé and dark and light blue enamel, originated in Persia. They are further adorned with slender flowers and graceful geometric patterns.
Mūsā nāmā (The Book of Moses) is a retelling of the biblical story of Moses, composed in Judeo-Persian verse by the poet Mowlānā Shāhīn-i Shīrāzī. In this scene, Phinehas (bottom right) surprises the…
This late seventeenth-century manuscript contains a full copy of the text of the Ardashīr-nāmah (The Tale of Esther), an epic poem by the fourteenth-century Jewish Persian writer Shāhīn-i Shīrāzī…
Behistun Trilingual Inscription, Persia. This inscription of Darius I (reigned 522–486 BCE) illustrates the polyglot character of the Persian Empire. Versions in the Old Persian, Elamite, and Akkadian…
