Sefer Torah in Silver Case from Baghdad

The tik is a rigid cylindrical case that encloses the Torah scroll and holds it in vertical position during reading, a practice characteristic of Eastern and Babylonian rites, in contrast to the soft mantle of the Ashkenazim. In Baghdad, a major center of Jewish metalwork in Iraq, these cases were entirely plated with repousse silver decorated with floral motifs and dedicatory inscriptions, mounted on a wooden core. The tik opens in two hinged halves, revealing the parchment that the reader unrolls without removing from its case. It reflects the status of honor accorded to the Torah and the wealth of the metalworking tradition of Babylonian-rite communities.