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Germany: King Solomon represented in the Coburg Pentateuch, c. 1396

Germany: King Solomon represented in the Coburg Pentateuch, c. 1396

The Coburg Pentateuch, produced c. 1396, includes the Five Books of Moses (the Torah); the Five Scrolls, Haftarot (weekly readings from the Prophets) and grammatical treatises. The text of the Pentateuch was penned in an Ashkenazi square script by a master scribe named Simhah Levi, while the vocalization was done by Samuel bar Abraham of Molerstadt. The other textual parts in the codex were penned and vocalised by other scribes.

King Solomon, famed for his justice and wisdom is depicted sitting on a throne shaped like the roof of a building. At his feet there are several animals, most likely hinting at his ability to converse with the animal kingdom.

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