This spice container was used in Jewish worship, during the Havdalah ceremony that marks the end of the Sabbath, the holy day of rest. The spices are blessed and the box is passed around for all to smell. After the ceremony, the new week starts.
Physical description
A silver filigree spice box with a moulded stem widening to a small five sided knop and standing upon an hexagonal base mounted upon five (originally six) cast ball and claw feet. The container is in the form of a three tiered tower with a railed parapet around the bottom. The middle and top tiers of the tower represent the belfry and lantern respectively, and the whole is surmounted by an onion dome and a flagpole flying a small silver 'burgee' emblazoned with an engraved scorpian motif on both sides. At two opposite corners of the lowest tier are small flags , without engraving, mounted on two small silver-filigree balls. On one face of this tier is the small hinged door through which spice was introduced. In the belfry tier immediately above hangs a small gilt belt. Mounted on the angles of the paraphet are six cast gilt figures, three of them playing pipes (or shofarot?) and the other three clad in long robes, buttoned up the front, and wearing circular hats (probably emulating Jewish costume of the day). Each figure appears to have had a pendant, possibly a bell, hanging from the crook of the left arm but all are now missing.
Place of Origin
Europe (Probabaly Lvov, made)
Date
late 17th century to early 18th century (made)
Artist/maker
Unknown (production)
Materials and Techniques
Silver filigree
Dimensions
Height: 27.7 cm, Width: 7.9 cm
Object history note
ex-Hildburgh loan 4482
Historical context note
Jewish Worship
Judaism is the oldest religion in the world to worship the one God.World Jewry has three main groups: Sephardic, Askenazic and Mizrahi (the Jews who never left the Middle East). All are bound together by a common history and their adherence to the Torah (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) and the Talmud (a compendium of rabbinic law and lore).
Jewish religious traditions and rituals centre on the home, the community and the synagogue. Central to Judaism is the observance of the Sabbath. This is a holy day, set apart from the rest of the working week. It begins one hour before sunset on Friday and ends on Saturday evening when three stars can be seen in the night sky.
The Jewish year revolves around a number of festivals, such as Passover. These originated in ancient times and embody multiple layers of meaning, from agricultural festivals to historical events.
Descriptive line
Spice holder
Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)
Keen, Michael. Jewish Ritual Art in the Victoria and Albert Museum. HMSO, 1991. 72., ill. ISBN 0112904491
Exhibition History
Jewish Worship (Sacred Silver and Stained Glass Galleries, the Victoria and Albert Museum 22/11/2005-22/11/2005)
Labels and date
Spice Container
This spice container was used in Jewish worship, during the Havdalah ceremony that marks the end of the Sabbath, the holy day of rest. The spices are blessed and the box is passed around for all to smell. After the ceremony, the new week starts.
There are different interpretations of the meaning of the spices. They may symbolise the fragrance of the Sabbath, which is left behind when the Sabbath ends.
Central Europe, 1675-1725
Silver, copper gilt and gilt bronze
Museum no. M.434-1956 [22/11/2005]
Materials
Silver
Categories
Metalwork; Religion; Judaism
Collection code
MET
