The shofar from the collection of the District Museum in Tarnów has a slightly flattened shape, with an oval cross-section, resembling the letter "L". It was made – according to tradition – from the keratin sheath of a ram's horn. Hot-formed, it is decorated with an engraved small plant ornament at the edge of the bell. At the other end, near the mouthpiece (in the form of a double ring), there is an engraved geometric decoration consisting of triangles and lines. On the outer edge of the instrument there is a carved handle and a faithful figurine of a lying lamb, which commemorates Abraham's sacrifice described in the Bible (Hebrew: akeda, "binding [the sacrifice before offering]"). Over time, the ram bone took on a natural yellowish and brown colour. The horn has minor chipping of the mouthpiece and edge of the bell, minor scratches, cracks, slight discolouration and dirt indicating that it was frequently used.
In the biblical narrative, God commanded Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac. At the last moment, however, God revoked his intention and a ram was eventually sacrificed on the sacrificial altar. The willingness to sacrifice one's own son to God is considered the highest manifestation of faith and obedience to the Creator. According to tradition, a shofar is made to commemorate this event, the sound of which commemorates the sacrifice of a ram. This wind instrument is closely related to Jewish religious rituals. In ancient times, its sound announced important events, impending danger or the end of a war. Its sound, played in three sequences, also announced ceremonies held in the Jerusalem Temple and the beginning of the Jubilee year, and now the coming of Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) and the beginning of Yamim Noraim (Terrible Days, i.e. ten days of fasting after Rosh Hashanah) and the end of repentance on Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement). The beginning of the New Year was formerly called the Feast of Trumpets in Polish.
The shofar was acquired for the Tarnów Land Museum in 1945, directly from the Sanguszko palace in Gumniska. Its original origin is unknown.
Barbara Bułdys
