The Dead Sea Scrolls
Ancient Jewish manuscripts from the Second Temple period.
They include the oldest surviving manuscripts of entire books later included in Jewish and Christian biblical canons, as well as deuterocanonical and extrabiblical books, casting new light on the emergence of Rabbinic Judaism and Christianity.
- location
- Qumran Caves, West Bank (near Dead Sea)
- date_range
- 3rd century BCE to 1st century CE
- primary_languages
- Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek
- current_repository
- Shrine of the Book, Israel Museum, Jerusalem
Lore & Background
The Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered over a ten-year period by Bedouin shepherds and archaeologists. The scrolls were taken to a cobbler and part-time antiques dealer named Khalil Eskander Shahin, known as Kando, and later caught the attention of John C. Trever of the American Schools of Oriental Research, who compared the script to the Nash Papyrus.
Reader's Guide
The Dead Sea Scrolls are of profound significance for understanding the development of Judaism and Christianity. They include the oldest surviving manuscripts of entire books later included in the Jewish and Christian biblical canons, as well as deuterocanonical manuscripts from late Second Temple Judaism and extrabiblical books. The scrolls cast new light on the emergence of Rabbinic Judaism and Christianity and their relationship with Jewish religious traditions. Archaeologists have long associated the scrolls with the ancient Jewish sect known as the Essenes, though some recent interpretations challenge this connection and suggest priests in Jerusalem or other unknown Jewish groups wrote them. The scrolls are held in the Shrine of the Book at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, but their custody is disputed by Jordan and the Palestinian Authority. The identified texts fall into three groups: copies of canonical Hebrew scriptures (about 40%), texts from the Second Temple period not canonized in the Hebrew Bible (about 30%), and sectarian manuscripts of previously unknown documents (about 30%). The scrolls have been published in the 40-volume Discoveries in the Judaean Desert, and their dating is supported by bronze coins found at the same sites, forming a series from John Hyrcanus to the First Jewish–Roman War.
Did You Know?
- The scrolls include the oldest surviving manuscripts of entire books later included in the Jewish and Christian biblical canons.
- About 40% of the identified texts are copies of texts from the canonical Hebrew scriptures.
- The Israeli government's custody of the scrolls is disputed by Jordan and the Palestinian Authority.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are The Dead Sea Scrolls?
They are a body of ancient Jewish manuscripts from the Second Temple era, written mostly in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. Dating from roughly the 3rd century BCE to the 1st century CE, they include some of the earliest known copies of books that later entered the Jewish and Christian canons.
What kinds of texts are included in The Dead Sea Scrolls?
The collection holds the oldest surviving full-book copies of several texts that became part of the Hebrew Bible, alongside deuterocanonical and extrabiblical writings. Taken together, they paint a picture of the diverse religious literature circulating in Second Temple Judaism.
Why are The Dead Sea Scrolls important to the study of religion?
They offer scholars a direct window into the scriptural and sectarian world from which both Rabbinic Judaism and early Christianity grew. By preserving earlier manuscript traditions, they help trace how biblical texts evolved and how different Jewish communities understood their faith.
What languages are The Dead Sea Scrolls written in?
The vast majority of the manuscripts are in Hebrew, with a smaller portion in Aramaic and a few in Greek. This multilingual mix reflects the cultural and linguistic landscape of the region during the late Second Temple period.
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