Similarly to the Torah scroll, the story of the Book of Esther is read in the communities from a scroll, called Megillah. The material of the scroll is parchment, but it does not have to be written according to strict standards regarding size, lettering style, and layout as of the Torah scroll. Therefore artistic expression and decorative intentions found their way to embellish the Scroll of Esther. The hand painted and ornamented megillah probably originates from Italy, 18th century.