Fragments of 2,000-year-old scriptural scrolls discovered in Israel

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    Emily Sørensen
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    Fragments of 2,000-year-old biblical scrolls found in Israel

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    These are the very first Dead Sea Scroll pieces found in 60 years (Picture: Reuters/AP/EPA)

    Fragments of ancient scriptural scrolls going back almost 2,000 years have actually been found in an Israeli cavern.

    Archaeologists think the brand-new Dead Sea Scroll pieces were concealed throughout a Jewish revolt versus Rome almost 1,900 years earlier.

    Around 80 pieces of parchment with lines of Greek text from the books of Zechariah and Nahum have actually been radiocarbon dated to the second century ADVERTISEMENT, according to the Israel Antiquities Authority. They were discovered along with a bonanza of other ancient artefacts throughout a sweep of more than 500 collapses the desert.

    A 6,000-year-old mummified skeleton of a kid, a tremendous, total woven basket from the Neolithic duration, approximated to be 10,500 years of ages, and ratings of other fragile natural products were maintained in caverns’ dry environment.

    But it is the very first set of brand-new scrolls discovered for 60 years in historical excavations in the desert south of Jerusalem.

    The pieces are believed to come from a set of parchment pieces discovered in a website referred to as The Cave Of Horror, after 40 human skeletons were discovered there throughout excavations in the 1960s.

    Those files likewise bear a Greek performance of the Twelve Minor Prophets.

    An employee shows recently-discovered scroll fragments of an ancient biblical text at Israel Antiquities Authority laboratories in Jerusalem March 16, 2021. REUTERS/Ammar Awad

    The recently-discovered scroll pieces are believed to be around 1,900 years of ages (Picture: Reuters)

    A recently-discovered scroll fragment of an ancient biblical text is seen at Israel Antiquities Authority laboratories in Jerusalem March 16, 2021. REUTERS/Ammar Awad

    The Israel Antiquities Authority labs displayed the discover in Jerusalem (Picture: Reuters)

    epa09077783 A basket (C), believed to be around 10,500 years old and found in the Muraba'at Cave, is shown in the laboratorires of the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) in Jerusalem, 16 March 2021. It is part of ancient finds that were discovered in the Judean Desert and by the IAA's excavation undertaken in desert caves and ravines since 2017. For the first time in about 60 years, the excavations have uncovered fragments of a biblical scroll, which is written in Greek and shows portions of the Book of the Twelve Minor Prophets, including the books of Zechariah and Nahum. The scroll fragments and other rare finds were discovered by IAA archaeologists in an operation aimed at preventing the looting of antiquities in the Judean Desert. EPA/ATEF SAFADI

    A basket thought to be around 10,500 years of ages was likewise discovered in the Cave (Picture: EPA)

    epa09077771 Coins from the 'Cache of Bar Kokhba' are shown in the laboratorires of the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) in Jerusalem, 16 March 2021. It is part of ancient finds that were discovered in the Judean Desert and by the IAA's excavation undertaken in desert caves and ravines since 2017. For the first time in about 60 years, the excavations have uncovered fragments of a biblical scroll, which is written in Greek and shows portions of the Book of the Twelve Minor Prophets, including the books of Zechariah and Nahum. The scroll fragments and other rare finds were discovered by IAA archaeologists in an operation aimed at preventing the looting of antiquities in the Judean Desert. EPA/ATEF SAFADI

    Coins from the ‘Cache of Bar Kokhba’ were found (Picture: EPA)

    epa09077779 Ancient date pits (L) and other seeds are shown in the laboratorires of the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) in Jerusalem, 16 March 2021. It is part of ancient finds that were discovered in the Judean Desert and by the IAA's excavation undertaken in desert caves and ravines since 2017. For the first time in about 60 years, the excavations have uncovered fragments of a biblical scroll, which is written in Greek and shows portions of the Book of the Twelve Minor Prophets, including the books of Zechariah and Nahum. The scroll fragments and other rare finds were discovered by IAA archaeologists in an operation aimed at preventing the looting of antiquities in the Judean Desert. EPA/ATEF SAFADI

    Ancient date seeds (L) and other seeds (Picture: EPA)

    epa09077774 Fragments of ancient arrowheads from prehistoric and Roman eras are shown in the laboratorires of the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) in Jerusalem, 16 March 2021. It is part of ancient finds that were discovered in the Judean Desert and by the IAA's excavation undertaken in desert caves and ravines since 2017. For the first time in about 60 years, the excavations have uncovered fragments of a biblical scroll, which is written in Greek and shows portions of the Book of the Twelve Minor Prophets, including the books of Zechariah and Nahum. The scroll fragments and other rare finds were discovered by IAA archaeologists in an operation aimed at preventing the looting of antiquities in the Judean Desert. EPA/ATEF SAFADI

    Remains of ancient arrowheads from ancient and Roman periods (Picture: EPA)

    epa09077781 Fragments of various ancient finds are displayed in the laboratorires of the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) in Jerusalem, 16 March 2021. It is part of ancient finds that were discovered in the Judean Desert and by the IAA's excavation undertaken in desert caves and ravines since 2017. For the first time in about 60 years, the excavations have uncovered fragments of a biblical scroll, which is written in Greek and shows portions of the Book of the Twelve Minor Prophets, including the books of Zechariah and Nahum. The scroll fragments and other rare finds were discovered by IAA archaeologists in an operation aimed at preventing the looting of antiquities in the Judean Desert. EPA/ATEF SAFADI

    epa09077778 The fragment of an ancient piece of cloth is shown in the laboratorires of the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) in Jerusalem, 16 March 2021. It is part of ancient finds that were discovered in the Judean Desert and by the IAA's excavation undertaken in desert caves and ravines since 2017. For the first time in about 60 years, the excavations have uncovered fragments of a biblical scroll, which is written in Greek and shows portions of the Book of the Twelve Minor Prophets, including the books of Zechariah and Nahum. The scroll fragments and other rare finds were discovered by IAA archaeologists in an operation aimed at preventing the looting of antiquities in the Judean Desert. EPA/ATEF SAFADI

    Ancient pieces of fabric (Picture: EPA)

    Oren Ableman, a Dead Sea Scroll scientist with the Israel Antiquities Authority, discussed: ‘We found a textual difference that has no parallel with any other manuscript, either in Hebrew or in Greek.’

    He was describing minor variations in the Greek making of the Hebrew initial, compared to the Septuagint – a translation of the Hebrew Bible to Greek made in Egypt in the 3rd and second centuries BC.

    The cavern were it was discovered lies in a remote canyon in the Judean Desert south of Jerusalem.

    The pieces are thought to have actually been stored there throughout the Bar Kochba Revolt – an armed Jewish uprising versus Rome throughout the reign of Emperor Hadrian, in between 132 and 136 ADVERTISEMENT.

    As well as investigating the location, the Israel Antiquities Authority were intending to avoid possible plundering.

    epa09077780 A fragment of a basket is shown in the laboratorires of the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) in Jerusalem, 16 March 2021. It is part of ancient finds that were discovered in the Judean Desert and by the IAA's excavation undertaken in desert caves and ravines since 2017. For the first time in about 60 years, the excavations have uncovered fragments of a biblical scroll, which is written in Greek and shows portions of the Book of the Twelve Minor Prophets, including the books of Zechariah and Nahum. The scroll fragments and other rare finds were discovered by IAA archaeologists in an operation aimed at preventing the looting of antiquities in the Judean Desert. EPA/ATEF SAFADI

    Part of a basket amongst the discovers found in the Judean Desert (Picture: EPA)

    epa09077764 A fragment from the 'Book of the Twelve Minor Prophets' scroll, written in Greek, is shown in the laboratorires of the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) in Jerusalem, 16 March 2021. It is part of ancient finds that were discovered in the Judean Desert and by the IAA's excavation undertaken in desert caves and ravines since 2017. For the first time in about 60 years, the excavations have uncovered fragments of a biblical scroll, which is written in Greek and shows portions of the Book of the Twelve Minor Prophets, including the books of Zechariah and Nahum. The scroll fragments and other rare finds were discovered by IAA archaeologists in an operation aimed at preventing the looting of antiquities in the Judean Desert. EPA/ATEF SAFADI

    A piece from the ‘Book of the Twelve Minor Prophets’ scroll, composed in Greek (Picture: EPA)

    epa09077772 The fragment of an ancient arrow nock from prehistoric and Roman periods is displayed in the laboratorires of the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) in Jerusalem, 16 March 2021. It is part of ancient finds that were discovered in the Judean Desert and by the IAA's excavation undertaken in desert caves and ravines since 2017. For the first time in about 60 years, the excavations have uncovered fragments of a biblical scroll, which is written in Greek and shows portions of the Book of the Twelve Minor Prophets, including the books of Zechariah and Nahum. The scroll fragments and other rare finds were discovered by IAA archaeologists in an operation aimed at preventing the looting of antiquities in the Judean Desert. EPA/ATEF SAFADI

    An ancient arrow nock from ancient and Roman durations (Picture: EPA)

    epa09077765 An expert points at fragments of ancient text scrolls that are shown in the Scrolls Sections at the laboratorires of the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) in Jerusalem, 16 March 2021. It is part of ancient finds that were discovered in the Judean Desert and by the IAA's excavation undertaken in desert caves and ravines since 2017. For the first time in about 60 years, the excavations have uncovered fragments of a biblical scroll, which is written in Greek and shows portions of the Book of the Twelve Minor Prophets, including the books of Zechariah and Nahum. The scroll fragments and other rare finds were discovered by IAA archaeologists in an operation aimed at preventing the looting of antiquities in the Judean Desert. EPA/ATEF SAFADIepa09077773 The fragment of an ancient arrow from prehistoric and Roman periods is displayed in the laboratorires of the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) in Jerusalem, 16 March 2021. It is part of ancient finds that were discovered in the Judean Desert and by the IAA's excavation undertaken in desert caves and ravines since 2017. For the first time in about 60 years, the excavations have uncovered fragments of a biblical scroll, which is written in Greek and shows portions of the Book of the Twelve Minor Prophets, including the books of Zechariah and Nahum. The scroll fragments and other rare finds were discovered by IAA archaeologists in an operation aimed at preventing the looting of antiquities in the Judean Desert. EPA/ATEF SAFADI

    epa09077767 Fragments of ancient text scrolls are shown in the Scrolls Sections at the laboratorires of the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) in Jerusalem, 16 March 2021. It is part of ancient finds that were discovered in the Judean Desert and by the IAA's excavation undertaken in desert caves and ravines since 2017. For the first time in about 60 years, the excavations have uncovered fragments of a biblical scroll, which is written in Greek and shows portions of the Book of the Twelve Minor Prophets, including the books of Zechariah and Nahum. The scroll fragments and other rare finds were discovered by IAA archaeologists in an operation aimed at preventing the looting of antiquities in the Judean Desert. EPA/ATEF SAFADI

    A gloved hand supplies a sense of the size of the pieces (Picture: EPA)

    epa09077775 The fragment of an ancient, about 2,000 years old lice comb, is shown in the laboratorires of the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) in Jerusalem, 16 March 2021. It is part of ancient finds that were discovered in the Judean Desert and by the IAA's excavation undertaken in desert caves and ravines since 2017. For the first time in about 60 years, the excavations have uncovered fragments of a biblical scroll, which is written in Greek and shows portions of the Book of the Twelve Minor Prophets, including the books of Zechariah and Nahum. The scroll fragments and other rare finds were discovered by IAA archaeologists in an operation aimed at preventing the looting of antiquities in the Judean Desert. EPA/ATEF SAFADI

    A lice comb, believed to be about 2,000 years of ages (Picture: EPA)

    epa09077768 A coin from the 'Cache of Bar Kokhba' is shown in the laboratorires of the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) in Jerusalem, 16 March 2021. It is part of ancient finds that were discovered in the Judean Desert and by the IAA's excavation undertaken in desert caves and ravines since 2017. For the first time in about 60 years, the excavations have uncovered fragments of a biblical scroll, which is written in Greek and shows portions of the Book of the Twelve Minor Prophets, including the books of Zechariah and Nahum. The scroll fragments and other rare finds were discovered by IAA archaeologists in an operation aimed at preventing the looting of antiquities in the Judean Desert. EPA/ATEF SAFADI

    A coin from the ‘Cache of Bar Kokhba’ displayed in the laboratorires of the Israel Antiquities Authority (Picture: EPA)

    Israel caught the West Bank in the 1967 war, and worldwide law forbids the elimination of cultural home from inhabited area.

    In 1961, Israeli archaeologist Yohanan Aharoni excavated the Cave of Horror and his group discovered 9 parchment pieces coming from a scroll with texts from the Twelve Minor Prophets in Greek, and a scrap of Greek papyrus.

    Since then, no brand-new texts have actually been discovered throughout historical excavations, however numerous have actually shown up on the black market, obviously ransacked from caverns.

    The Dead Sea Scrolls, a collection of Jewish texts discovered in desert collapse the West Bank near Qumran in the 1940s and 1950s, date from the 3rd century BC to the first century ADVERTISEMENT.

    They consist of the earliest recognized copies of scriptural texts and files laying out the beliefs of a little understood Jewish sect.

    Get in touch with our news group by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

    For more stories like this, inspect our news page.


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