The Beauty and Trials of the First Jewish Illuminated Manuscript
The Sarajevo Haggadah, created in Barcelona in the 14th century, is a Hebrew illuminated manuscript read during Passover that’s survived many obstacles and challenges over time.
Ha Lahma Anya (14th century)UNESCO Memory of the World
The Sarajevo Haggadah
The Sarajevo Haggadah is an exquisite example of decorative art. It’s a manuscript written on parchment, with a series of superb illuminations. It's one of the most famous and beautiful Hebrew illuminated manuscripts from the Middle Ages.
The family at the Seder (14th century)UNESCO Memory of the World
What’s the Story?
Haggadah in Hebrew means a story. This Haggadah is in the category of Haggadot shel Pesah – the Passover Haggadahs that are read on the occasion of the Jewish feast of Passover, Jewish families gather to celebrate and commemorate the Exodus from Egypt.
Exodus from Egypt (14th century)UNESCO Memory of the World
Biblical Stories
The illuminations represent certain narrative portions of the Pentateuch (the seven days of the Creation, the story of Cain and Abel, the story of Lot, the sacrifice of Isaac, the Exodus, the miracle of the Red Sea, Moses’ Blessing, etc.) with the focus on the story of Joseph.
Trials and Tribulations
It left Spain in 1492 after the Expulsion of the Jews and surfaced in Italy in the 17th century. It was rescued by Muslim librarians (during World War II and the four years of war in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1990s) twice. The National Museum of Sarajevo claimed it in 1894.
The Creation Cycle (14th century)UNESCO Memory of the World
Jewish-Christian-Muslim Coexistence
The manuscript contains decorations which show its Spanish origin (probably Barcelona) from the second half of the 14th century. Which was a period of Jewish-Christian-Muslim coexistence in Medieval Spain.
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