The Jewish Journey: 4000 Years in 22 Objects From the Ashmolean Museum

A ring seal from the siege of Bronze Age Lachish; a Dead Sea Scroll jar from first century Judaea; a clay camel from Tang dynasty China; a Medieval magic amulet; an English five pound note forged in a Nazi concentration camp; a painting within a painting... These are some of the remarkable Jewish objects in the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, brought together here for the first time to Ancient Mesopotamia to the present day. Spanning 4000 years and fourteen countries, they document the astonishing diversity and adaptability of Jewish life over the centuries, and the long history of close interaction with other cultures and religions of the world. Author Rebecca Abrams reveals the fascinating stories behind these little-known treasures, and the people who owned, made, and used them, from kings, courtiers, and scholars, to merchants, musicians, and market-stall holders.