Nevi'im, Yechezkel. Codex on Parchment. 13th Century

Nevi'im, Yechezkel. Codex on Parchment. 13th Century

"Codex" [מִצְחָף] is the designation for ancient books written not in a scroll format, but in a page-by-page format, similar to the books in use today.

Latin origin of the name: Caudex - book or anthology. The original meaning of the Latin term is "tree trunk" due to the wooden boards used for writing.

The origin of mitzchaf is Arabic, and it already appears in books by the geonim. This term refers to handwritten works that have been bound and are read in a book format: page after page. The text appears on both sides of each page, as in today's printed books.

Large manuscript, arranged in two columns, [20] lines per column. Oriental script with Tiberian vowelization, c. 12th-13th century. Ink on parchment. Block script in an unfamiliar style.

The manuscript bears a passage from Sefer Yechezkel:

Page 1: from 46:9 "He went out by way of the southern gate to prostrate himself" to "the kohanim that faced ..."

Page 2: from verse 19 "...[northward, and behold] there was a place at its western end" to 47:7 "upon my return, and behold, a tree on the riverbank."

Several notes mesorah-hagedolah and - haketanah on the side of the text.

[1] leaf, taken from a binding. Expert's confirmation included.

Maximum dimensions - 330x270 mm.

Poor-moderate condition. Aging stains. Fading and peeling ink. Delicate professional restoration to several tears. Blemishes with lack in the text in three places.