Israeli archaeologists announced dozens of new discoveries this week Dead Sea scroll pieces. Found in a desert cave, and probably during the Jewish Rebellion against Rome about 1,900 years ago, fragments of Bible texts provide a rare window into Judaism, early Christian life, and human history.
CBS News’ Imtiaz Tyab reports that when the first pieces of the Dead Sea Scroll were discovered 70 years ago, it was considered one of the most significant archaeological finds of the 20th century.
To make a new discovery, archaeologists dug down a steep cliff into a terrifying cave – hence the name for the dozens of human remains found inside. But while the cave’s history is as dark as its name suggests, excavators have described what they found inside “between heaven and earth.”
Dozens of fragments of the Dead Sea Scroll were found almost two thousand years later. Pieces of parchment are small – some miniscule – but they d wisdom. Wisdom is too great to draw, according to Oren Abelman.
“These are things you have to do,” he quoted one of the Greek texts of the piece. “Speak the truth to one another, give true and perfect justice at your gates and do not run evil against one another. And do not love lies because those are the things I hate, God says.”
Menahem Kahana / AFP / Getty
The arid conditions of the Judean desert ensured that dozens of other items found along with pieces of scroll also withstood the test of time, including ancient olive pits; Remains of clothing and sandals and an old wooden comb that can be used today.
Protects culture, or steals?
Archaeologist Chaim Cohen says the four-year project has been important in protecting the treasures inside the cave system from future looting.
“This project is a defense of the area because again, it is almost impossible to defeat the robbers,” he said. “They are working, and the settlement was to reach the case before the robbers.”
The huge excavation site extends to parts of southern Israel and The Israeli-occupied West Bank. Israel has long been criticized for removing items found in Palestinian territories.
Under international law, taking cultural property from the occupied territory is prohibited, but these concerns have not prevented Israel’s ancient antiquities authorities from putting them on display.
Crossing the Bible
Some of the artifacts go well beyond the Bible, including the 6,000-year-old skeleton of a small child, and an almost perfectly preserved basket, which would not be out of place in a home furniture store today.
Menahem Kahana / AFP / Getty
“We didn’t understand because we felt the cave was empty, and then when we arrived we were looking at a whole huge intact basket,” said Yaniv Burman of the Antiquities Authority. He said that when he got the result of the carbon dating analysis, “We were shocked! It’s 10,500 years old!”
It was another shining puzzle piece from the past, which, along with ancient wisdom, still resonates today.
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