The Dead Sea Scrolls Go Digital

The Dead Sea Scrolls have been called the greatest biblical archeological find of the 20th century.

The scrolls were placed in caves at Qumran on the northwest shores of the Dead Sea, where they lay hidden in the hot, dry air for almost 2000 years, until they were accidentally discovered by a Bedouin.

Since the first scroll came to light in 1947, a total of 11 complete scrolls and some 15.000 fragments have come to light. Almost all of them are under the protection of the Israel Museum in Jerusalem and the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA).

Despite their age and the climate of where they were hidden, it is amazing that we even have this much. But they are fragile, and are kept in special vaults of the Israel Museum. This makes the reading and interpretation extremely difficult.

Of course no one uses the original when studying these ancient biblical and sectarian texts. Already back in the 1950′s they were photographed with infrared technology, and eventually published, so that any scholar who so desires can study them.

Now a new project has begun to digitally produce the Dead Sea Scrolls, using the state of the art digital and infrared photography. Experts from the world are involved in this important project. Through the use of powerful cameras that produce no heat and ultraviolet light that would damage the fragile scrolls, scientists have been able to decipher sections and letters invisible to the naked eye.

Till now some 4000 digital images have been created. The project is estimated to take five years. All images will eventually be placed in an internet data bank.

For the full article in Ha’aretz on line edition.