Noodling around on the British Museum catalogue of illuminated manuscripts I came cross this curious dragon drawn in a 14th century Machzor next to the opening of the Book of Ruth. From the site:
| Title | Biblical readings from a festival prayer book (mahzor): Song of Songs, Ruth, Ecclesiastes, Lamentations |
| Origin | Germany |
| Date | 1309 |
| Language | Hebrew |
| Script | Ashkenazi square script, punctuated; Ashkenazi semi-cursive script, unpunctuated |
| Scribe | Solomon ben Jehiel |
| Artists | Decoration probably by the scribe. |
Update: There seem to be quite a few associated with Ruth! I found this one in another 14th century Mahzor as well. This MS is “Additional 26896; Festival prayer book (mahzor) for the Special Shabbatot, Passover, Shavuot with the Book of Ruth, and Ninth of Av with the Book of Lamentations, Ashkenazi rite (aka ‘Tinted Mahzor’); Germany; 1st half of the 14th century.”
Detail: marginal drawing of two dragons with their necks entwined with an inscription incorporated the drawing, ‘Dragon Samael’, perhaps added, in Ruth.
