Dead Sea Scrolls

Dead Sea Scroll
(Image credit: Keystone/Getty)

Found in 12 caves in the West Bank, the Dead Sea Scrolls consist of thousands of fragments from over 900 manuscripts that may have been written by a sect called the Essenes. They contain texts from the Hebrew Bible as well as calendars, astronomical observations and community rules. Here, Live Science brings you all the latest news about newfound scrolls, decoded fragments and all the mystery surrounding the discoveries.

Latest about dead sea scrolls

This image shows part of Egypt's 'lost golden city.'

5 archaeological 'digs' to watch in 2022

By Owen Jarus last updated

Archaeological predictions for the new year include: discoveries from Egypt's "lost golden city," new finds from Qumran and evidence that may shed light on what life was like 11,000 years ago.

Archaeology
A conservator of the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) shows fragments of the Dead Sea Scrolls at their laboratory in Jerusalem on June 2, 2020.

Medieval Hebrew document could reveal why Dead Sea Scrolls were found in Qumran

By Tom Metcalfe published

An ancient Hebrew document created more than 1,000 years ago and stashed away in Cairo may unlock a secret of the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Archaeology
The Great Isaiah Scroll, one of the seven original Dead Sea Scrolls found in the late 1940s, on display at the Asia Society Hong Kong Center. In a new study, researchers determined that two scribes wrote this scroll.

Mysterious second writer of Dead Sea Scroll uncovered by AI

By Laura Geggel published

Two scribes wrote the famous Great Isaiah Scroll, researchers found with the help of AI and statistics.

Artificial Intelligence
Part of the Book of the Twelve Minor Prophets scroll, written in Greek.

Biblical scroll discovered in 'Cave of Horror' in Israel

By Owen Jarus published

Fragments of a biblical scroll dating back 1,900 years have been discovered in the "Cave of Horror" in the Judean Desert in Israel.

Archaeology
Fragments of the dead sea scrolls photographed in a lab in Jerusalem, Israel in 2012.

Ancient DNA could reveal full stories on the Dead Sea Scrolls

By Yasemin Saplakoglu published

Tiny traces of ancient DNA in Dead Sea Scrolls could help scientists piece the fragments together.

Genetics
The Hebrew word "Shabbat" is visible in the upper right hand corner. A lamed (the letter "L" in Hebrew) is written on the left side of the fragment.

'Blank' Dead Sea Scrolls have hidden letters on them

By Laura Geggel published

These Dead Sea Scroll fragments appeared blank to the naked eye.

Human Behavior
What is dead may never die.

Secret to This Dead Sea Scroll’s Incredible Preservation — And Inevitable Destruction — Could Be Salt

By Brandon Specktor published

The Temple Scroll is the best preserved of all 900 Dead Sea Scrolls, and researchers just got one step closer to figuring out its secret.

Archaeology
U.S. soldiers patrol the Iraq National Museum, which opened its doors July 3, 2003, for the first time since the April 2003 fall of Saddam Hussein in Baghdad, Iraq. The museum was plagued with weeks of looting that also sacked the museum.

7 Biblical Sites Ravaged by Modern-Day Looters

By Owen Jarus published

These historical ruins from the time of Jesus attract more than the public eye — Looters continue to raid the archaeological remains in hopes of selling what they find.

Religion
These Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered during a 1947 excavation of Qumran caves northwest of the Dead Sea.

Archaeologists Are Looking for Dead Sea Scrolls Inside 2 Newfound Qumran Caves

By Owen Jarus published

The caves are in just the right spot to hold these biblical-era manuscripts.

Archaeology
A "Dead Sea Scroll" fragment on display at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C.

Dead Sea Scroll Fragments in Museum of the Bible Are Fake

By Megan Gannon published

These aren't ancient pieces of the biblical text but rather modern forgeries.

Religion
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