Scribe's (Sofer's) Inkwell in Horn

This kit is the tool of the sofer, the ritual scribe charged with copying by hand, according to strict rules, the Torah scrolls, megillot, and the parchments of the tefillin and mezuzot. Portable, it brings together the inkwell (often in horn, a material that preserves the ink), the pen-holder for reed calames or trimmed quills, and a sand container used to dry fresh ink. The Eastern European type gathers these elements into a compact ensemble, sometimes fitted with metal. This object testifies to the central place of sacred writing and the scribe's craft in Jewish religious life.