EXHIBIT OF BIBLICAL ANTIQUITIES. 993 



Wooden door lock and key. (See plate 14, fig. 3.) The doors of 

 Eastern houses, which are usually small and low, seem early to have 

 been provided with hinges turning in sockets, and with locks and keys,' 

 in whose construction no little ingenuity was displayed. Formerly, as 

 now, it is likely that locks and keys were made both of iron and of 

 wood, according to circumstances. The wooden key now quite gener- 

 ally in use consists of a piece of wood about a foot in length provided 

 at one end with a series of pegs. It is thrust into a little opening at 

 the side of the door and applied to the bolt. This has a corresponding 

 series of holes into which the pegs of the key fit, displacing thereby 

 another set of pegs by which the bolt is held in its place.^ 



Syrian inkhorn (Hebrew, Qeseth ha sofer). (See plate 11, tig, 9.) 

 The most common writing material among the Hebrews was probably 

 papyrus or di-essed skins. This at least must have been the case in 

 the time of Jeremiah, as the expression "roll of a book"^ points to 

 some pliant material. Ink (Hebrew, deyo), which was made of soot, is 

 mentioned in Jeremiah xxxvi, 18. The pen used for writing on papyrus 

 or parchment was no doubt the reed pen still common in the Orient 

 and until recently in southern Europe.* The inkhorn is mentioned in 

 Ezekiel ix, 2, as being carried "by the side;" that is, fastened to the 

 girdle of the scribe. It is still carried in this fashion in the Orient. 

 The inkhorn consists of a tube containing reed pens and a receptacle 

 for ink. 



JEWISH RELIGIOUS CEREMONIAL. 



The next collection was one of objects of Jewish religious ceremonial, 

 which had their origin in and are based upon Biblical ordinances. 

 The following specimens were shown : 



Manuscript copy of the Pentateuch, or Five Books of 

 Moses in Hebrew, Sefer Torah. — The Pentateuch or law (Hebrew, 

 Torah) is considered by the Jews the most imi)ortant part of the Bible. 

 A section of it is read every Sabbath in the synagogue in the morning 

 service, and shorter portions in the afternoon service, on holidays, 

 fasts, and on Monday and Thursday mornings of every week. This 

 latter usage goes back to the days of the early synagogue when Mon- 

 day and Thursday were court and market days, and the peasants 

 coming to town to dispose of their produce would attend worship. A 

 manuscript copy is employed, printed copies not being used, ^^'hen 

 not in use the roll is covered with a cloak and placed upright in an ark 

 or chest. 



Pointer (Hebrew, Yad, properly "hand"). — The pointer is used in 

 the service of the synagogue during the reading of the law to prevent 



'Judges iii, 23, 25; Canticles v, 5; Neliemiali iii, 3. 

 "Bissel, Biblical Anti([iutie8, p. 23. 

 ^Jeremiah xxxvi, 2. 



■•Compare Jeremiah viii, 8; Psalms xlv, 2; III Johu, 13. 

 NAT MUS 96 63 



