Ancient Qumran, known as Khirbet Qumran (خربة قمران) in Arabic, is an archaeological site in the West Bank area of ancient Israel/Palestine. It is located on a dry marl plateau about 1.5 kilometers (1 mile) from the northwestern shore of the Dead Sea, about 10 kilometers (6 miles) south of the historic city of Jericho.
Since the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1947–1956, extensive excavations have taken place in Qumran. Nearly 900 scrolls were discovered. Most were written on parchment and some on papyrus. Cisterns, Jewish ritual baths, and cemeteries have been found, along with a dining or assembly room and debris from an upper story alleged by some to have been a scriptorium as well as pottery kilns and a tower.
The Essene settlement at Qumran is a significant archaeological site located near the northwestern shore of the Dead Sea in the West Bank. This site gained worldwide attention due to the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in the mid-20th century. The Essenes, a Jewish sectarian group, are often associated with the community that inhabited Qumran. Read more
The Qumran Caves, located in the Qumran region on the northwestern shore of the Dead Sea, are renowned for their historical significance. Traces of occupation date back to the Chalcolithic period, showcasing the site's long history. Notably, in 1947 CE, the caves gained prominence as the initial discovery site of the Dead Sea Scrolls, ancient Jewish manuscripts of great historical and religious importance. Read more
Pottery from ancient Qumran, particularly associated with the archaeological site near the Dead Sea, is significant due to its connection to the Dead Sea Scrolls discovery. The Qumran site is famous for the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, a collection of Jewish texts dating back to the Second Temple period. Pottery found at Qumran provides valuable insights into the material culture and daily life of the community that inhabited the area. Archaeologists have unearthed a variety of pottery vessels at Qumran, including jars, bowls, plates, cooking pots, and other domestic items. Pottery items from Qumran served various functions in daily life, such as storage, cooking, and serving food.
The Qumran roundel, also known as the Qumran Sundial (possibly), is a mud roundel discovered in the Qumran Caves, bearing markings similar to a sundial. Measuring about 6 inches in diameter, it features a central hole where a small stick can be inserted, casting a shadow to indicate the time. Scholars have suggested its use as an odometer for measuring time, reflecting the Qumran community's interest in time measurement. Some propose that the Qumran roundel might function as an equatorial sundial, providing a way not only to measure time but also to serve additional purposes. Its historical significance lies in its representation of the Qumran community's engagement with timekeeping methods, particularly through shadow-casting devices like sundials.
In Scribes and Scrolls at Qumran, Sidnie White Crawford combines the conclusions of the first generation of scrolls scholars that have withstood the test of time, new insights that have emerged since the complete publication of the scrolls corpus, and the much more complete archaeological picture that we now have of Khirbet Qumran.
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In this volume, Charlotte Hempel offers the first comprehensive commentary on all twelve ancient manuscripts of the Rules of the Community, works which contain the most important descriptions of the organisation and values ascribed to the movement associated with the Dead Sea Scrolls.
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Qumran and Christian Origins examines the hermeneutical framework of Qumran scholarship, patterns for relating the scrolls to early Christianity, and the methodological challenges faced by comparisons between Qumran texts and New Testament writings. In a critical evaluation of earlier views, Frey provides a summary of the Scrolls’ impact on our views of the historical Jesus.
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One of the world's foremost experts on the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Qumran community that produced them provides an authoritative new English translation of the two hundred longest and most important nonbiblical Dead Sea Scrolls found at Qumran.
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The Madain Project is an online archive of Abrahamic History and Archaeology.
Abrahamic History & Archaeology is the study of history and archaeology with respect to the three Abrahamic Faiths without considering the religious and theological aspects. The goal of Abrahamic History is to understand how and why the religious doctrines and behaviours have evlovled and changed over time. Searching for patterns in the evolution of significant cultural events such as the development of farming, the emergence of cities, or the collapse of major civilizations for clues of why and how these have influenced the three major Abrahamic religions.
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