The Dead Sea Scrolls remembered

It was on this date in 1949 that Gerald Lankester Harding and Roland de Vaux begin formal excavations at Cave 1 in the area of Khirbet Qumran in southern Israel.  They were searching for further examples of ancient manuscripts that became known as the Dead Sea Scrolls.

In 1946 Bedouin shepherd Muhammed edh-Dhib, his cousin Jum'a Muhammed, and Khalil Musa were tending flocks in the area when edh-Dhib threw a stone into one of the caves.  Instead of hearing the rock smack against the cave wall the trio heard the sound of pottery breaking.  Inside they found a rolled-op scroll (that scholars later identified as a manuscript of the Book Isaiah Scroll.  They also recovered scrolls containing a Habakkuk Commentary and the Community Rule (more about that momentarily).

Some intrigue followed as scholars and merchants sought to establish authenticity and right of possession.  As the story unfolded both the scientific and religious academic communities became quite excited.  This led to the work of Harding and de Vaux.

To date researchers have found twelve caves that contain 970 manuscripts and over 16,000 fragments.  These documents fall into two categories.  First there are biblical manuscripts and biblical commentaries.  Copies of the entire Old Testament are present with the exception of the Book of Esther.  The scrolls are almost identical to the Masoretic Texts of the Old Testament (which are the oldest and most reliable of the biblical Hebrew manuscripts and are the basis for almost all Old and New Testament translations in the modern day).  These texts support the integrity of the copying and transmission process over the course of the last two thousand years.

The second family of scrolls relates to the sect that produced the writings.  This group is known as the Essenes.  They were a separatist group that had a short life from about the 2nd century BCE to the 1st century CE.  These scrolls describe the ordering of their lives together (The Community Rule  mentioned above and others) as well as their theological and eschatological ideas.  The Qumranians were monastics.  They built a small settlement near the Dead Sea (hence the term “Dead Sea Scrolls").  There were community living quarters, kitchens, a library, a scriptorum and other facilities necessary to carry on a common life.

Most researchers believe that the Essenes hid the scrolls in order to protect them during the Jewish Revolt sometime between 66 and 68 CE. The Romans destroyed the site at Qumran, and no one ever recovered the scrolls.

I became intrigued with the Scrolls while I was in High School.  I did an Independent Study on the scrolls as an undergraduate.  I have tried to keep up with research, but I find that I frequently fall behind.

Some of the manuscripts are on display at The Shrine of the Book in Jerusalem.  Most of the scrolls are available for scholarly research there.  A digital copy of some of the writings is available here.