"שיויתי" / קמע גדול מצויר ביד – הֵרָאט, אפגניסטן

Large "shiviti" for wall hanging, with kabbalistic motifs and letter combinations for protection and safekeeping. Herat, western Afghanistan, [late 19th or early 20th century]. Ink on paper. Large and impressive "shiviti". Its top features Star of David ornaments, tablets of the covenant and crowns; in its center, ten psalms written in the form of large menorahs and Stars of David; in the margins and beneath the menorahs, psalms in the form of arches. In its lower section appears a lengthy text in Hebrew and Hebrew-Arabic/Persian, interspersed with kabbalistic letter combinations; there also appears the name of the scribe: "--- the young Messiah Ashgari the small, dust beneath the feet of the wise, inhabitant of Herat Afghanistan... for the peace of the righteous, worthy youth A—Samuel Ḥai --- Simeon may he live long, he and all his household and family and all --- and his relatives and all that is his...". At the end of the text appears the verse "[The Almighty] Shaddai bless you, and make you fruitful and multiply; and you shall be, a multitude of peoples" – a charm for fertility. 59×49 cm, in a 71.5×61 cm frame. Fair to poor condition. Stains. Tears, some with damage to the text (particularly in the margins) – underwent professional conservation. Creases and fold marks. Not examined outside the frame.