Rare six-story-tall Torah scroll revealed by Kazakh collector

Renowned Kazakh collector Azat Akimbek has showcased a rare and valuable manuscript from his collection — a Torah scroll dating to the late 18th century and believed to have been produced by the Jewish community of Bukhara. Jewish communities have existed in Central Asia for centuries, with significant migration to the region taking place between the ninth and 13th centuries.

The sacred scroll is 17.5 meters long and is written on deer parchment. The text is arranged in columns.

@azat.akimbek A Torah scroll from the late 18th century, created by the Jewish community of Bukhara. Measuring 17.5 meters in length and written on deer parchment, it reflects the scribal traditions of Central Asian Jewish culture. A rare and valuable manuscript preserved within a private collection. ~ Свиток Торы конца XVIII века, созданный еврейской общиной Бухары. Длина — 17,5 метров, выполнен на оленьем пергаменте и отражает традиции книжного письма бухарских евреев. Редкий и ценный манускрипт, сохранившийся в частной коллекции. #antique #антиквариат #vintage #винтаж ♬ оригинальный звук – Князь Азат Акимбек

Traditionally, Torah scrolls are handwritten by specially trained scribes using a turkey feather quill. Even a single error in the text can render a scroll invalid for ritual use and require the affected section to be corrected or rewritten.

The two ends of the scroll are attached to wooden rollers. As the Torah is read, the rollers are used to move the parchment from one side to the other, allowing the reader to follow the text column by column.