Silver Rimonim with Bells from the Maghreb

The rimonim are a pair of goldsmith's finials that crown the wooden staves (atsei hayim) of the Torah scroll, their name meaning "pomegranates" in Hebrew. Fitted with bells, they chime when the scroll is carried, announcing its movement within the synagogue. In the North African tradition, they frequently take the form of a pomegranate or a tiered open-work tower, worked in repoussé and cut silver by Jewish silversmiths of the medinas. This ornament belongs to the adornments of the Torah (kelei kodesh) and reflects the importance of ceremonial silverware in Maghrebi Judaism.