Dead sea scroll

Inside the tragic, decades-long mystery of Qumran's lost Second Temple incense

The vast majority of material was lost after a 2025 murder. All that remains is a small amount of dust collected from the floor and a few samples preserved by the Jones family.

|ByJOSH ARONSON
A cave in the Qumran area of the Dead Sea region.
A fragment of a 2,000-year-old Psalms Scroll from the Dead Sea Scrolls collection; illustrative.

One of the Dead Sea Scrolls' greatest mysteries may have finally been solved by Israeli researcher

For decades, scholars have wondered if Qumran’s 364-day year calender had ever been used in practice or if it served only as a theoretical framework.

|ByMIRIAM SELA-EITAM
A fragment of a 2,000-year-old Psalms Scroll from the Dead Sea Scrolls collection; illustrative.

New AI-powered research project aims to uncover the origins of the Dead Sea Scrolls

Research methods will include state-of-the-art chemical, artificial intelligence, paleographical, and codicological analysis of approximately 250 samples of the scrolls from the IAA's collection.

|ByMIRIAM SELA-EITAM
A restorer works on a fragment of the Dead Sea Scrolls in a laboratory at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem

Thoughts on viewing the Great Isaiah Scroll - opinion

There is much more to be learned about the history of the Hebrew nation, its literature, and even geography from the Great Isaiah Scroll.

|ByYISRAEL MEDAD

Intact early Bronze Age jug found by American tourist in Judean Desert

Caves have been excavated for decades in the area where Dead Sea Scrolls were found.

MARCH 10, 2022ByJUDITH SUDILOVSKY
An intact 5000-year-old jug which was discovered by an American tourist in the Judean Desert after a section of a cave wall collapsed.

Jerusalem highlights February 4–10

What's new to do in Israel's capital?

FEBRUARY 3, 2022ByHAGAY HACOHEN
POP UP TLV work by Shir Lamdan.

Cairo Genizah paper may hold key to secrets of Qumran, Dead Sea Scrolls

An ancient religious ceremony, described in several Dead Sea Scrolls, could explain the mysteries of the archaeological site of Qumran.

AUGUST 29, 2021ByROSSELLA TERCATIN
The site of the Qumran Scrolls, known as the Dead Sea Scrolls

Dead Sea Scrolls scholar flushes out mystery

How did Jews in the land of Israel use the toilet some 2,000 years ago? The legendary Dead Sea Scrolls offer some answers.

JUNE 7, 2021ByROSSELLA TERCATIN
Volunteers with the Israeli Antique Authority work at the Cave of the Skulls, an excavation site in the Judean Desert near the Dead Sea, Israel June 1, 2016.

Dead Sea Scrolls: 2,000 years ago Jews used biblical ‘paperbacks’

Some 2,000 years ago, Jews use formal beautifully written biblical manuscripts for public reading as well as informal and sloppy written biblical texts for personal use.

MAY 30, 2021ByROSSELLA TERCATIN
Sections of the ancient Dead Sea scrolls are seen on display at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem May 14, 2008.

Dead Sea Scrolls: Mysterious scribe wrote eight diverse scrolls, scholars find

“The main purpose of my work has been using artificial intelligence, an extraction algorithm and statistical analyses to test 51 manuscripts which share a particular handwriting style.”

MAY 4, 2021ByROSSELLA TERCATIN
Adolfo Roitman, curator of the Dead Sea Scrolls, points at the original Isaiah Scroll, one of the Dead Sea Scrolls, inside a secured climate-controlled room in the Shrine of the Book at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem September 26, 2011.

How old are the Dead Sea Scrolls? Carbon-dating project to offer answers

The project and some preliminary results were presented at a conference at the university last week: while in many instances, some scrolls might be more ancient than previously thought.

APRIL 25, 2021ByROSSELLA TERCATIN
A fragment from the Dead Sea Scrolls that underwent genetic sampling to shed light on the 2,000-year-old biblical trove is shown to Reuters at the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) laboratory in Jerusalem June 2, 2020.

Dead Sea Scrolls: Artificial Intelligence sheds new light on their authors

An artificial intelligence-based paleographic project carried out by scholars in the Netherlands found a way to replace the human eye of with artificial intelligence.

APRIL 22, 2021ByROSSELLA TERCATIN
Adolfo Roitman, curator of the Dead sea Scrolls, points at the original Isaiah Scroll, one of the Dead Sea Scrolls, inside a secured climate-controlled room in the Shrine of the Book at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem September 26, 2011. Developed in partnership with Google, the Israel Museum on Mond

Judean Desert Texts: What is their significance?

This group includes the legal documents of Jews who fled to caves along the shore of the Dead Sea during the Bar-Kochba Revolt.

APRIL 20, 2021ByLAWRENCE H. SCHIFFMAN
Fragments of the ancient texts found in the Cave of Horror

Lost biblical scroll may have been 2,700 years old, Israeli scholar says

“The text is very reminiscent of the book of Deuteronomy, and anyone who is familiar with it would feel it. But there are also some differences,” Dershowitz said.

MARCH 22, 2021ByROSSELLA TERCATIN
Sections of the ancient Dead Sea scrolls are seen on display at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem May 14, 2008.