Posted on 08/17/2004 9:43:31 PM PDT by yonif
Authorities are hoping that DNA testing of animal bones discovered in excavations at the Qumran plateau will reveal the origins of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Archeologists believe the findings will resolve the debate sparked nearly half a century ago with the discovery of the biblical manuscripts in 11 separate caves on the shores of the Dead Sea.
Prof. Oren Gutfield of Hebrew University, who participated in the excavations, is attempting to ascertain the relationship between the scrolls and their place of discovery.
"What we will do now are DNA tests to these bones in order to compare DNA results from these animals with DNA of the Dead Sea Scrolls parchment. A connection was never found between the Dead Sea Scrolls and the site itself, but if a match is found it means that the people who lived in Qumran actually prepared the scrolls from animals at the site itself," Gutfield said.
The seven bone deposits of mules eaten and buried inside cleaning pots and storage jars by the Qumran community in the 1st century BCE will undergo DNA testing this week.
Archeologists will compare the findings of the bones with the DNA of the scrolls conducted over the past five years. Also, the Qumran storage pots resemble those found inside the caves with the scrolls.
According to Gutfield, "If the bone deposits, which are unique to the plateau, match with the scrolls, we will be able to resolve one of the greatest debates of the archeological world today – do the scrolls originate from within the Qumran community or were they transported to the caves from outside before the siege of the Romans in 66 CE?"
There are two schools of thought regarding the origin of the scrolls. Most scholars, led by archeologist Roland de Voux, who directed the excavations at the plateau in the 1950s, claim that the 900 scrolls originate from both within Qumran and also from contributions of individuals joining the community.
A group of dissidents argues that the site must be disconnected from the scrolls. The manuscripts, written by high priests, were only transported to the caves immediately before the Roman siege of Jerusalem. Associate professor of archeology at Bar-Ilan University Hanan Eshel suggests that the majority of the manuscripts, although not all, are sectarian and were written by community members. He suggests that evidence for this thesis is rooted within the text of the scrolls themselves.
"The content of the scrolls prove that they [the dissidents] are wrong. They [the scrolls] describe the rules and workings of the Qumran community. Even more so, they speak out against the Jerusalem establishment and the priests of Jerusalem themselves," Eshel said.
"I can't understand why some people would deny a connection between the scrolls found in the cave and the site [Qumran] itself. In addition to the proximity of the caves to the site, one must go through the site to reach the caves. If a match is found, it will prove the connection once and for all," he said.
Whens'at?
Will be interesting to hear the results of this!
Ping.
CE = Common Era.
Seems that BC and AD are no longer used by religious scholars because their meanings are too religious.
I bristle at the use of CE and BCE instead of AD and BC. "Seems that BC and AD are no longer used by religious scholars because their meanings are too religious." It's a cute irony, but I, personally, find nothing ironic in the fact that a Hebrew University professor chooses not to refer to Anno Domini (The year of our Lord).
As a historian, it is a pain in the butt because all my papers have to say BCE/CE but I still use BC and AD in speaking.
Qumran ping.
"Common Era" (CE) = AD, "Before the Common Era" (BCE) = BC. Even 10-15 yrs ago it was in use in Catholic high schools.
Before that, I'd never encountered such a ridiculous thing.
>>Maybe a better idea would be to just say 1938 years ago.<<
Yeah, we could just standardize an HTML module that adds 1 after each year passes. Oh, wait, there's that annoying persistence of *hardcopy*. Oh, well. I guess I'll just keep using AD and BC, and allow a Jewish guy to say CE and BCE. But any time I see someone use CE, I'll know he has difficulty identifying with Christianity.
Please FREEPMAIL me if you want on, off, or alter the "Gods, Graves, Glyphs" PING list --
Archaeology/Anthropology/Ancient Cultures/Artifacts/Antiquities, etc.
The GGG Digest -- Gods, Graves, Glyphs (alpha order)
God forbid they should have to deal with the elephant in the room, that being, the event that set the demarcation.
First of all, I'd like to know why anyone would bother to bury mule bones.
Actually, aren't equines kosher? Their hooves aren't cloven, after all. I'll have to get out the Bible...
No kidding. The origin, history and purpose of the Gregorian calendar (and the Julian calendar which it replaced) is entirely Christian. These guys want to pretend it isn't what it is.
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