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According to the National Antiquities Authority, fragments of a scroll containing biblical texts have been discovered in Israel for the first time in decades. The authority said the find was made in a cave near the Dead Sea. The dozen fragments are written in Greek and date from around AD 130. Consequently, they contain excerpts from the Book of Twelve Prophets.
In addition to the documents, the mummified skeleton of a 6,000-year-old boy, coins, arrowheads, clothing, sandals, lice combs and a large basket were found. The latter is 10,500 years old and therefore probably the oldest in the world.
According to the information, some of the elements come from the time of an uprising against the Romans. The Jewish uprising under rebel leader Bar Kochba broke out in 132 and was suppressed around three years later.
According to the authorities, the cave in which the objects were discovered is located in a rock wall and can only be accessed by abseiling. “The finds are not only important for our cultural heritage, but also for the entire world,” said the head of the Jerusalem Ministry and Cultural Heritage, Avi Cohen.
Since the late 1940s, the so-called Qumran scrolls have been found in caves by the Dead Sea. Ancient writings are among the most important archaeological finds of the 20th century. The first of the 2,000-year-old documents was found by a shepherd, and more fragments were later discovered. (what / dpa)
