Qumran

Qumran is the site of the most important archeological discovery of the modern era. In 1947, a group of Bedouin shepherd boys were exploring a cave and found several earthenware jars that contained scrolls. Since then, thousands of fragments and hundreds of manuscripts have been discovered in twelve caves. They are known today as the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Qumran was the home of an Essene tribe, a highly conservative Jewish sect. The Dead Sea Scrolls are believed to have been their library. Roughly 40% off the scrolls and fragments are of biblical texts. Every book in the Old Testament was found other than Esther. Prior to the discovery, the most recent manuscript texts were 1300 years after the dates of the original writings. The Dead Sea Scrolls reduced the gap to 300 years. The scrolls also confirmed the accuracy of the copying process over the centuries.Read more