2.5

Dead Sea Scrolls

The Dead Sea Scrolls are a collection of over eight hundred manuscripts discovered by archaeologists in several caves around the Dead Sea. The first scrolls were found in 1947, and many more were unearthed in the ensuing years. The manuscripts had been stored in sealed jars, and some care had been taken to preserve them, most likely by the Essenes, who apparently operated a monastic community in the area. The manuscripts date from the New Testament era or slightly before. Among the finds, in addition to a wealth of liturgical materials: