S1: Jericho | E3: Qumran Caves (Dead Sea Scrolls) - Palestine Travel Series
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The Qumran caves are the site where a Palestine shepherd discovered ancient dead sea scrolls in 1946! He found over 2,000 scrolls in 11 different caves in the region. These scrolls are believed to be written around 150 B.C and 70 A.D. Many of these scrolls were found in clay jars and are well preserved.
The Qumran caves are 1.6 KM from the west of the Dead Sea. Many other discoveries were found in the area! We will be showing you how they lived during that time. Pottery and water reservation techniques were very impressive. We hope you enjoy our latest episode.
New Episode every Thursday!
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Israel:12th Dead Sea Scroll cave of Qumran discovered
Excavations in the cliffs of Qumran, by the north-west shore of the Dead Sea, have revealed a 12th cave believed to have concealed the Dead Sea Scrolls, an ancient collection of religious texts.
The cave is found near Qumran, in the Palestinian Territories' West Bank. In it archaeologists discovered storage jars that held the scrolls, fragments of cloth wrappings, the string tie for a scroll and a leather strap for binding it. A blank piece of parchment was also found, believed to have been part-way through the process of it being prepared for writing on.The scrolls include biblical texts and Second Temple Period texts, mainly written in Hebrew and Aramaic. They were discovered near Jerusalem in the 1940s by Bedouin goat herders. The scrolls are believed to have been written between 150BC and 70AD. They have been found scattered in several caves in the Qumran area. Some caves have harboured only jars and wrappings of scrolls, but are thought to have also held scrolls at some point in their history.
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New Dead Sea Scrolls Cave Found By Archaeologists In Israel
On Wednesday, archaeologists unearthed a 12th cave filled with ancient storage jars and lids off the Judaean cliffside, marking the first successful excavation of a new cave associated with the famed Dead Sea Scrolls in 60 years. Researchers had assumed only 11 caves in the area contained scrolls, but the new discovery strengthens a longstanding belief that looters may have stolen artifacts in the mid-1900s, referencing pick ax heads found within the new cave as proof. A collection of nearly 1,000 manuscripts written in Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic dating back to 4th century BC, the Dead Sea Scrolls were first discovered in 1947, and now, according to Director-General of the Israel Antiquities Authority Israel Hasson, The important discovery of another scroll cave attests to the fact that a lot of work remains to be done in the Judean Desert and finds of huge importance are still waiting to be discovered.
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Jericho, Qumran Dead Sea Scroll, Jordan
Nov, 2010
Jericho is a Palestinian city located near the Jordan River in the West Bank. It is believed to be one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world. Jericho is described in the Old Testament as the City of Palm Trees. Copious springs in and around the city attracted human habitation for thousands of years. It is known in Judeo-Christian tradition as the place of the Israelites' return from bondage in Egypt, led by Joshua, the successor to Moses.
Qumran is an archaeological site in the West Bank. It is best known as the settlement nearest to the caves in which the Dead Sea Scrolls were hidden, caves in the sheer desert cliffs and beneath, in the marl terrace.
The Jordan River is a 251 kilometres (156 mi) long river in West Asia flowing to the Dead Sea. Currently, the river serves as the eastern border of the State of Israel and of the Israeli-occupied Palestinian Territories. In Christian tradition, Jesus was baptised in it by John the Baptist. The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan takes its name from this river.
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The Story Of the site of the Dead Sea Scrolls, in the narrow sense of Qumran Caves Scrolls,[
Zahi Shaked A tour guide in Israel and his camera
zahigo25@walla.com +972-54-6905522 tel
סיור עם מורה הדרך ומדריך הטיולים צחי שקד 0546905522
Qumran is an archaeological site in Israel. It is located on a dry plateau about a mile inland from the northwestern shore of the Dead Sea, near kibbutz of Kalia. The Hellenistic period settlement was constructed during the reign of John Hyrcanus, 134-104 BCE or somewhat later, and was occupied most of the time until it was destroyed by the Romans in 68 CE or shortly after. It is best known as the settlement nearest to the caves in which the Dead Sea Scrolls were hidden, caves in the sheer desert cliffs and beneath, in the marl terrace.
Qumran is an archaeological site in Israel. It is located on a dry plateau about a mile inland from the northwestern shore of the Dead Sea, near kibbutz of Kalia. The Hellenistic period settlement was constructed during the reign of John Hyrcanus, 134-104 BCE or somewhat later, and was occupied most of the time until it was destroyed by the Romans in 68 CE or shortly after. It is best known as the settlement nearest to the caves in which the Dead Sea Scrolls were hidden, caves in the sheer desert cliffs and beneath, in the marl terrace.
Since the discovery from 1947 to 1956 of nearly 900 scrolls in various conditions, mostly written on parchment, with others on papyrus, extensive excavations of the settlement have been undertaken. 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.
Many scholars believe the location to have been home to a Jewish sect, the Essenes being the preferred choice; others have proposed non-sectarian interpretations, some of these starting with the notion that it was a Hasmonean fort which was later transformed into a villa for a wealthy family or a production center, perhaps a pottery factory or similar.
A large cemetery was discovered to the east of the site. While most of the graves contain the remains of males, some females were also discovered, though some burials may be from medieval times. Only a small portion of the graves were excavated, as excavating cemeteries is forbidden under Jewish law. Over a thousand bodies are buried at Qumran cemetery.[1] One theory is that bodies were those of generations of sectarians, while another is that they were brought to Qumran because burial was easier there than in rockier surrounding areas.[2]
The scrolls were found in a series of eleven caves around the settlement, some accessible only through the settlement. Some scholars have claimed that the caves were the permanent libraries of the sect, due to the presence of the remains of a shelving system. Other scholars believe that some caves also served as domestic shelters for those living in the area. Many of the texts found in the caves appear to represent widely accepted Jewish beliefs and practices, while other texts appear to speak of divergent, unique, or minority interpretations and practices. Some scholars believe that some of these texts describe the beliefs of the inhabitants of Qumran, which, may have been the Essenes, or the asylum for supporters of the traditional priestly family of the Zadokites against the Hasmonean priest/kings. A literary epistle published in the 1990s expresses reasons for creating a community, some of which resemble Sadducean arguments in the Talmud.[3] Most of the scrolls seem to have been hidden in the caves during the turmoil of the First Jewish Revolt, though some of them may have been deposited earlier.
Dead Sea - A Short Vlog
#Deadsea - has its western coast in Israel and the West Bank. It is the lowest point in the world at 394.6 m (1269 ft) below sea level. Currently, 25 km of Dead Sea coastline lie within Palestinian Authority territory, including Qumran and Ein Feshka. #travel #deadsea #weekend
S1: Jericho | E2: Nabi Musa - Palestine Travel Series
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Nabi Musa is the name of the burial site of Prophet Musa (PBUH) located in the Jericho Desert 20 km east of Jerusalem. The Jerusalem-Jericho road was one of the primary routes used by Mediterranean Arabs to make a pilgrimage to Mecca. Restoration of the maqam took place during the Ottoman period at the hands of architects from the family of Husayn bin ‘Ali bin al-Namri, among whom was ‘Abd al-Muhsin bin Mahmud bin Husayn, the chief architect of Jerusalem and his brother, al-Hajj Karim.
This is the largest and most famous of the maqamat (tomb sanctuaries) of Palestine. Its plan is almost square and it covers an area of 5000 sq m, with three levels. The complex includes stables, storage areas, a large mosque with a minaret and the room of the maqam as well as a number of porticoes and different facilities. These include 100 rooms crowned by domes for the residence of guests during the season. The maqam has an important place in Palestinian folklore and is associated with many social and political events.
Off to our next adventure. See you next Thursday PaliRooters!
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Penny Appeal USA is a nonprofit development organization working to alleviate poverty through both long term sustainable programs and emergency relief in over 30 countries. One of PA USA’s key focus areas in Palestine. PA USA’s projects stretch all over Palestine from Gaza to the West Bank, providing essential support to the Palestinian People.
Join Penny Appeal in securing the future of Palestinian families. Visit: to learn more about their programs and to donate.
ISRAEL: WEST BANK: HOPES RAISED OF FINDING MORE DEAD SEA SCROLLS
English/Nat
Hopes have been raised that there are more Dead Sea Scrolls lying undiscovered in the West Bank.
Four man made caves have been found in hills near where the first Scrolls were unearthed.
Israeli archaeologists found the caves a year ago but only made the news public recently.
Now they are racing against time before the Qumran area of the West Bank is handed over to Palestinian control.
Excavation is set to begin in November.
The caves are not far from the spot where Arab shepherds found the first Dead Sea Scrolls.
The ancient manuscripts include poetry, legal texts and the earliest known sections of the Bible.
They were found in 11 natural and manmade caves between 1947 and 1956, when the area was under Jordanian control.
Most of the manuscripts were found in the manmade caves - raising hopes the latest discoveries could yield new treasures.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
We have very good reason to believe that those are caved-in caves, caves that have crumbled. These are manmade caves. Half of the eleven caves which the Dead Sea Scrolls were found in are manmade. 600 of the 800. So we have a good chance of finding something.
SUPER CAPTION: Magen Broshi, former curator of the Dead Sea Scrolls at the Israel Museum.
The newly discovered caves are carved out of marl, a crumbly mix of
clay, sand and limestone - similar soil to a cave where 530 Scrolls were found.
But those Scrolls did not survive the passage of time well, and archaeologists are still piecing together the 15 thousand fragments found in the caves.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
There are two periodicals speaking only of the Qumran sect. One sect which is a topic of so much research and any new details found about this group and the people who lived there would be important. Finding four new manmade caves is very important even if I won't find anything there. Just finding four new rooms that were carved in stones and inhabited by people living in Qumran is important.
SUPER CAPTION: Hanan Eshel, Archaeologist, Bar Ilan University.
Eshel believes the caves were inhabited by the Essenes, a Jewish sect that produced the Dead Sea Scrolls and lived in the area between about 150 BC and AD50.
Trails lead from the caves to the Essenes settlement at Qumran.
Because the area around Qumran was extensively excavated and surveyed after the Scrolls were found, the discovery of the new caves took archaeologists by surprise.
To prevent looting, their existence has been kept secret.
And even now not everything is being revealed. Entrances to the caves have been sealed and their exact location remains a closely guarded secret.
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New Dead Sea Scrolls Cave Found By Archaeologists In Israel
On Wednesday, archaeologists unearthed a 12th cave filled with ancient storage jars and lids off the Judaean cliffside, marking the first successful excavation of a new cave associated with the famed Dead Sea Scrolls in 60 years. Researchers had assumed only 11 caves in the area contained scrolls, but the new discovery strengthens a longstanding belief that looters may have stolen artifacts in the mid-1900s, referencing pick ax heads found within the new cave as proof. A collection of nearly 1,000 manuscripts written in Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic dating back to 4th century BC, the Dead Sea Scrolls were first discovered in 1947, and now, according to Director-General of the Israel Antiquities Authority Israel Hasson, The important discovery of another scroll cave attests to the fact that a lot of work remains to be done in the Judean Desert and finds of huge importance are still waiting to be discovered.
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Mount of Temptation Monastery in Jericho, Palestinian Territories
The Monastery of the Temptation is a Greek Orthodox monastery located in Jericho, Palestine. It was built on the slopes of the Mount of Temptation 350 meters above sea level, situated along a cliff overlooking the city of Jericho and the Jordan Valley.
It currently serves as a tourist attraction and its land is under the full jurisdiction of the Palestinian National Authority, although the monastery is owned and managed by the Greek Orthodox Church of Jerusalem.
Perched upon a sheer cliff face, Mount of Temptation Monastery looks out over panoramic views of the Jordan Valley, Dead Sea, and dramatic surrounding mountains. Regarded by the Orthodox church as the spot where the devil once tempted Jesus during the latter's 40-day fast, the site has existed in some form since 6 CE, developed and reconstructed over thousands of years. Ride the cable car or hike the steep 400 m incline to the summit. Once there, wonder at the impressive carving of the monastery, cut directly into the cliff face some 350 m above sea level.
Northwest of central Jericho, the hillside of Qarantal plays an important role in Christian tradition. This is a major point of interest for Christian visitors who know the hill as the Mount of Temptation, where Jesus Christ fasted after being baptized in the Jordan River by John the Baptist. In AD 340, St. Chariton built a chapel on the hill summit, and another was built by the cave in which Jesus is said to have sheltered. The Greek Orthodox Church acquired the site in 1875 and in 1895 built the Sarandarion Monastery (the name refers to the 40 days of Jesus' fast) halfway up the hill. From the monastery, a steep path runs up to the summit on which you can visit the remains of St. Chariton's original chapel. The views from the top across the arid hills are fantastic. For those that don't fancy the hike, the Jericho Cable Car runs from Jericho up to the summit, with excellent views across the countryside along the way.
It has interesting history by self.
A fortress built by the Seleucids called Doq stood at the summit of the mountain. It was captured by the Hasmoneans and it was here that Simon Maccabaeus was murdered by his son-in-law Ptolemy.
The earliest monastery was constructed by the Byzantines in the 6th century CE above the cave traditionally said to be that where Jesus spent forty days and forty nights fasting and meditating during the temptation of Satan, about three kilometers northwest of Jericho. The monastery receives its name from the mountain which the early Christians referred to as the Mount of the Temptation. The Mount of Temptation was identified by Augusta Helena of Constantinople as one of the holy sites in her pilgrimage in 326 CE.
Palestine, including Jericho, was conquered by the Arabs under the Islamic Caliphate of Umar ibn al-Khattab in the 630s.
When the Crusaders conquered the area in 1099, they built two churches on the site: one in a cave halfway up the cliff and a second on the summit. They referred to the site as Mons Quarantana (from Quaranta meaning forty in Italian, the number of days in the Gospel account of Jesus's fast).
The land upon which the modern monastery was built was purchased by the Orthodox Church in 1874. In 1895, the monastery was constructed around a crude cave chapel that marks the stone where Jesus sat during his fast.
The Orthodox Church, along with its Palestinian Orthodox followers purchaser,[dubious – discuss] originally attempted to build a church at the summit, but were unsuccessful; the unfinished walls of that church are located on a slope above the monastery.
As of 2002, three Orthodox monks were dwelling in the monastery and were guiding visitors to the site.
In 1998, a cable car was built from Jericho's Tell es-Sultan to the level of the monastery by an Austrian-Swiss company as a tourist attraction for the year 2000. At present there is a restaurant, a cafe and a souvenir shop at the monastery entrance for the tourists.
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ISRAEL: ARCHAEOLOGISTS DISCOVER EVIDENCE OF BATTLE OF YODEFAT
English/Nat
Human bones and arrowheads uncovered in a dig in northern Israel support an ancient account of the first major battle between Jewish rebels and the Romans.
Israeli archaeologists have worked for six years to unearth evidence of the Battle of Yodefat in 67 A.D.
They say their findings confirm the descriptions of Jewish battle commander Josephus Flavius.
Yodefat was the first sizeable city captured by the Romans on their march to Jerusalem.
Some 10,000 Jews were killed and 1,200 others taken prisoner at the end of the Romans' 47-day siege of the Jewish farming town in the Galilee.
The Jews' commander, Josephus Flavius, was captured and enslaved by the Romans.
He later became the great historian of the period in Palestine. It is from his own work that the received story of the battle of Yodefat has been taken.
Archaeologist Mordechai Aviam has been working tirelessly for six years at the site of the battle.
He says his findings support Flavius' written account.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
This is the first place that Romans met Jewish defenders, Jewish warriors and 60,000 Roman soldiers sieged the place for 47 days during the war.
SUPER CAPTION: Mordechai Aviam, Israel Antiquities Authority
On the painted floor of a luxurious mansion, the excavators found human remains surrounded by more than a dozen arrowheads.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
What is very interesting is that we found about 15 arrowheads on the floor of the house together with human bones, human bones were left in situ and were not taken out, but it tells us that this room, this house, this beautiful house was fortified before the war, was conquered during a very heavy war and maybe because it was a very heavy war and maybe because it was a very important stronghold it was attacked by many bows and arrows.
SUPER CAPTION: Mordechai Aviam, Israel Antiquities Authority
Among the artefacts was a 4-inch-wide flat stone etched on one side with a mausoleum.
On the other side, was a zodiac sign of Cancer, which roughly coincides with the Jewish month of Tamuz.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
A small stone, about 10 by 10 centimetres, a very flat stone etched by an artist, probably by one of the residents of Yodefat during the siege, that saw his death coming soon. On one side is a description of a tomb memorial, a mausoleum, or a nefesh in Hebrew, and this is a well known symbol of death mainly in tombs in Jerusalem. And on the other side we have a description of one of the symbols of the zodiac, cancer, and cancer is the symbol of the (Jewish) month of Tamuz. Yodefat fell on the first of Tamuz.
SUPER CAPTION: Mordechai Aviam, Israel Antiquities Authority
Also unearthed was a multi-coloured fresco house - one of the best preserved in the region.
Scattered on the floor were more human bones and arrowheads - apparently the remains of Jewish fighters.
Other bones were found in a nearby cistern where they were dumped in mass burial by survivors of the battle.
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Israel Forces Palestinian Family From Cave-home
Israeli forces demolished the home of a Palestinian family living in a cave Wednesday that moved there after their house in East Jerusalem was demolished last year. The act was part of a wide-spread initiative to quell ongoing riots in the city. (Oct. 29)
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Is the Dead Sea really dead?
Because of its extremely high salt content, no animal or plant life can survive in the Dead Sea. So why do tourists from around the world flock to bathe in its deep blue waters? Clarissa Ward takes us on a trip to this exotic and unique destination.
Holy Land Tour - 2019 - Day 5 - Session 22 - Massacre at Masada (Massada)
Masada is a natural rock fortress on the western shores of the Dead Sea, just across from the Lisan. The upper plateau covers 20 acres and rises abruptly 1,300 feet above the shores of the Dead Sea. The name Masada means “mountain fortress.” David likely visited Masada while fleeing from Saul (1 Sam 22:4, 24:22). Herod later occupied the fortress and used it as a place of refuge for his family while he was struggling for power in Judaea (37 BC). After Herod’s death, a small Roman garrison was established at the site.
Jewish zealots captured the Roman garrison at the beginning of the Jewish revolt (AD 66). Jews held the fortress until May 2, AD 73 when the 10th Legion of the Roman army succeeded in breaking through the walls only to find that 960 of the defenders had taken their own lives. Josephus, who detailed the siege of Masada and the events that preceded its capture, recorded that two old women and five children were the only survivors (Josephus, Jewish War VII. 275–407).
En-gedi
En-gedi is an oasis on the western shore of the Dead Sea. The name means “spring of the goat,” referring to the plentiful spring found in the area. En-gedi is in the tribal territory of Judah in the region of the wilderness (Josh 15:62). David hid from Saul in the “strongholds of En-gedi” (1 Sam 23:29). It was there that Saul entered a cave where David was hiding (1 Sam 24:3–7) and David refused to kill the Lord’s anointed king (1 Sam 24:10). During Jehoshaphat’s reign, the Ammonites and the Moabites began their ascent into the hill country from En-gedi to attack Judah (2 Chr 20). The Song of Solomon idealizes En-gedi as a place known for its beauty, spices, and vineyards (Song 1:14).
Qumran
It is possible that Joshua’s reference to the “City of Salt” (Josh 15:62) may refer to a site known today as Qumran (Greenhut, “The City of Salt,” 32–43). Qumran is located above the northwestern shore of the Dead Sea just north of Wadi Qumran. The Qumran Scrolls were discovered in this vicinity in 1947. The scrolls range in date from 200 BC to early second century AD and contain manuscripts about 1,000 years older than any available previously. The manuscripts confirm the accuracy of the Masoretic Text, which has been used for the last thousand years as the textual basis for translations of the Hebrew Scriptures.
Although debated among archaeologists, the people of the Qumran community were probably what Josephus refers to as “Essenes” (Josephus Jewish War II. 119–161). Their name is Aramaic and means “pious” or “faithful.” The occupants of Qumran carefully copied and preserved biblical scrolls. Upon Roman occupation of the site in AD 68, the Qumran community placed the scrolls in jars and hid them in caves, planning to return after the Romans departed. The dry desert air preserved the scrolls, which remained hidden until a shepherd boy discovered them in 1947.
Laney, J. C. (2016). Dead Sea. In J. D. Barry, D. Bomar, D. R. Brown, R. Klippenstein, D. Mangum, C. Sinclair Wolcott, … W. Widder (Eds.), The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
Qumran -The Dead Sea Scrolls Mystery Site
Zahi Shaked A tour guide in Israel and his camera
zahigo25@walla.com
+972-54-6905522 tel
סיור עם מורה הדרך ומדריך הטיולים צחי שקד 0546905522
Qumran is an archaeological site in Israel. It is located on a dry plateau about a mile inland from the northwestern shore of the Dead Sea, near kibbutz of Kalia. The Hellenistic period settlement was constructed during the reign of John Hyrcanus, 134-104 BCE or somewhat later, and was occupied most of the time until it was destroyed by the Romans in 68 CE or shortly after. It is best known as the settlement nearest to the caves in which the Dead Sea Scrolls were hidden, caves in the sheer desert cliffs and beneath, in the marl terrace.
Qumran is an archaeological site in Israel. It is located on a dry plateau about a mile inland from the northwestern shore of the Dead Sea, near kibbutz of Kalia. The Hellenistic period settlement was constructed during the reign of John Hyrcanus, 134-104 BCE or somewhat later, and was occupied most of the time until it was destroyed by the Romans in 68 CE or shortly after. It is best known as the settlement nearest to the caves in which the Dead Sea Scrolls were hidden, caves in the sheer desert cliffs and beneath, in the marl terrace.
Since the discovery from 1947 to 1956 of nearly 900 scrolls in various conditions, mostly written on parchment, with others on papyrus, extensive excavations of the settlement have been undertaken. 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.
Many scholars believe the location to have been home to a Jewish sect, the Essenes being the preferred choice; others have proposed non-sectarian interpretations, some of these starting with the notion that it was a Hasmonean fort which was later transformed into a villa for a wealthy family or a production center, perhaps a pottery factory or similar.
A large cemetery was discovered to the east of the site. While most of the graves contain the remains of males, some females were also discovered, though some burials may be from medieval times. Only a small portion of the graves were excavated, as excavating cemeteries is forbidden under Jewish law. Over a thousand bodies are buried at Qumran cemetery.[1] One theory is that bodies were those of generations of sectarians, while another is that they were brought to Qumran because burial was easier there than in rockier surrounding areas.[2]
The scrolls were found in a series of eleven caves around the settlement, some accessible only through the settlement. Some scholars have claimed that the caves were the permanent libraries of the sect, due to the presence of the remains of a shelving system. Other scholars believe that some caves also served as domestic shelters for those living in the area. Many of the texts found in the caves appear to represent widely accepted Jewish beliefs and practices, while other texts appear to speak of divergent, unique, or minority interpretations and practices. Some scholars believe that some of these texts describe the beliefs of the inhabitants of Qumran, which, may have been the Essenes, or the asylum for supporters of the traditional priestly family of the Zadokites against the Hasmonean priest/kings. A literary epistle published in the 1990s expresses reasons for creating a community, some of which resemble Sadducean arguments in the Talmud.[3] Most of the scrolls seem to have been hidden in the caves during the turmoil of the First Jewish Revolt, though some of them may have been deposited earlier.
The Dead Sea Scrolls - Qumran, the site where the most important scrolls in a world were discovered
Zahi Shaked A tour guide in Israel and his camera
zahigo25@walla.com +972 54 6905522 tel
סיור עם מורה הדרך ומדריך הטיולים צחי שקד 0546905522
Qumran is an archaeological site in Israel. It is located on a dry plateau about a mile inland from the northwestern shore of the Dead Sea, near kibbutz of Kalia. The Hellenistic period settlement was constructed during the reign of John Hyrcanus, 134-104 BCE or somewhat later, and was occupied most of the time until it was destroyed by the Romans in 68 CE or shortly after. It is best known as the settlement nearest to the caves in which the Dead Sea Scrolls were hidden, caves in the sheer desert cliffs and beneath, in the marl terrace.
Qumran is an archaeological site in Israel. It is located on a dry plateau about a mile inland from the northwestern shore of the Dead Sea, near kibbutz of Kalia. The Hellenistic period settlement was constructed during the reign of John Hyrcanus, 134-104 BCE or somewhat later, and was occupied most of the time until it was destroyed by the Romans in 68 CE or shortly after. It is best known as the settlement nearest to the caves in which the Dead Sea Scrolls were hidden, caves in the sheer desert cliffs and beneath, in the marl terrace.
Since the discovery from 1947 to 1956 of nearly 900 scrolls in various conditions, mostly written on parchment, with others on papyrus, extensive excavations of the settlement have been undertaken. 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.
Many scholars believe the location to have been home to a Jewish sect, the Essenes being the preferred choice; others have proposed non-sectarian interpretations, some of these starting with the notion that it was a Hasmonean fort which was later transformed into a villa for a wealthy family or a production center, perhaps a pottery factory or similar.
A large cemetery was discovered to the east of the site. While most of the graves contain the remains of males, some females were also discovered, though some burials may be from medieval times. Only a small portion of the graves were excavated, as excavating cemeteries is forbidden under Jewish law. Over a thousand bodies are buried at Qumran cemetery.[1] One theory is that bodies were those of generations of sectarians, while another is that they were brought to Qumran because burial was easier there than in rockier surrounding areas.[2]
The scrolls were found in a series of eleven caves around the settlement, some accessible only through the settlement. Some scholars have claimed that the caves were the permanent libraries of the sect, due to the presence of the remains of a shelving system. Other scholars believe that some caves also served as domestic shelters for those living in the area. Many of the texts found in the caves appear to represent widely accepted Jewish beliefs and practices, while other texts appear to speak of divergent, unique, or minority interpretations and practices. Some scholars believe that some of these texts describe the beliefs of the inhabitants of Qumran, which, may have been the Essenes, or the asylum for supporters of the traditional priestly family of the Zadokites against the Hasmonean priest/kings. A literary epistle published in the 1990s expresses reasons for creating a community, some of which resemble Sadducean arguments in the Talmud.[3] Most of the scrolls seem to have been hidden in the caves during the turmoil of the First Jewish Revolt, though some of them may have been deposited earlier.
Lot's Wife Pillar, Mount Sodom, and Zohar Fortress
The Zohar valley is identified by scholars as the Edom Way mentioned in 2 Kings 3. It hosts the ruins of a fortress and an observation tower.
Mount Sodom is made of 80% salt and is home to the longest single running salt cave in the world.
Lot's Wife Pillar is a salt pillar standing on top of Mount Sodom.
In this episode, we will explore all three by land and air.
Season 2, Episode 10
Holy Land Pilgrimage - Jericho and The Dead Sea
From camel rides and floating in the Dead Sea, there are not only wonderful times of fellowship with the pilgrims, but there is an incredible oppurtunity to see where the Dead Sea scrolls were found in the caves at Qumran. Get your deposit in today, this trip is going to fill up fast!
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NASA Scientists Help Israel Digitalize And Publish Dead Sea
Scientists in Israel are taking digital photographs of thousands of fragments of the Dead Sea scrolls with the aim of making the 2,000-year-old documents available to the public and researchers on the Internet. Israel's Antiquities Authority, the custodian of the scrolls that shed light on the life of Jews and early Christians at the time of Jesus, said on Wednesday it would take more than two years to complete the project coinciding with the 60th anniversary of the discovery of the ancient writings. Since Bedouin shepherds first came upon the scrolls in caves near the Dead Sea in 1947, only a small number of scholars have been allowed to view the fragments. But recently access to the scrolls has been wide
Floating in the Dead Sea ...You Can't Sink!
The Dead Sea (Hebrew: יָם הַמֶּלַח, Yam ha-Melah, Sea of Salt, also Hebrew: יָם הַמָּוֶת, Yam ha-Mavet, The Sea of Death, and Arabic: البحر الميت About this sound Al-Bahr al-Mayyit (help·info)), also called the Salt Sea, is a salt lake bordered by Jordan to the east and Israel and Palestine to the west. Its surface and shores are 429 metres (1,407 ft) below sea level, Earth's lowest elevation on land. The Dead Sea is 304 m (997 ft) deep, the deepest hypersaline lake in the world. With 34.2% salinity (in 2011), it is 9.6 times as salty as the ocean, and one of the world's saltiest bodies of water. This salinity makes for a harsh environment in which plants and animals cannot flourish, hence its name. The Dead Sea is 50 kilometers (31 mi) long and 15 kilometers (9 mi) wide at its widest point. It lies in the Jordan Rift Valley and its main tributary is the Jordan River.
The Dead Sea water has a density of 1.24 kg/liter, which makes swimming similar to floating.
Biblical period-
Dwelling in caves near the Dead Sea is recorded in the Hebrew Bible as having taken place before the Israelites came to Canaan, and extensively at the time of King David.
Just northwest of the Dead Sea is Jericho. Somewhere, perhaps on the southeastern shore, would be the cities mentioned in the Book of Genesis which were said to have been destroyed in the time of Abraham: Sodom and Gomorra (Genesis 18) and the three other Cities of the Plain, Admah, Zeboim and Zoar (Deuteronomy 29:23). Zoar escaped destruction when Abraham's nephew Lot escaped to Zoar from Sodom (Genesis 19:21-22). Before the destruction, the Dead Sea was a valley full of natural tar pits, which was called the vale of Siddim. King David was said to have hidden from Saul at Ein Gedi nearby.
In Ezekiel 47:8-9 there is a specific prophecy that the sea will .. be healed and made fresh, becoming a normal lake capable of supporting marine life. A similar prophecy is stated in Zechariah 14:8, which says that Living waters will go out from Jerusalem, half of them to the eastern sea (likely the Dead Sea) and half to the western sea (the Mediterranean)...
Greek and Roman period-
Aristotle wrote about the remarkable waters. The Nabateans and others discovered the value of the globs of natural asphalt that constantly floated to the surface where they could be harvested with nets. The Egyptians were steady customers, as they used asphalt in the embalming process that created mummies. The Ancient Romans knew the Dead Sea as Palus Asphaltites (Asphalt Lake).
King Herod the Great built or rebuilt several fortresses and palaces on the western bank of the Dead Sea. The most famous was Masada, where in 70 CE a small group of Jewish zealots fled after the fall of the destruction of the Second Temple. The zealots survived until 73 CE, when a siege by the X Legion ended in the deaths by suicide of its 960 inhabitants. Another historically important fortress was Machaerus (מכוור), on the eastern bank, where, according to Josephus, John the Baptist was imprisoned by Herod Antipas and died.
Also in Roman times, some Essenes settled on the Dead Sea's western shore; Pliny the Elder identifies their location with the words, on the west side of the Dead Sea, away from the coast ... [above] the town of Engeda (Natural History, Bk 5.73); and it is therefore a hugely popular but contested hypothesis today, that same Essenes are identical with the settlers at Qumran and that the Dead Sea Scrolls discovered during the 20th century in the nearby caves had been their own library.
Josephus identified the Dead Sea in geographic proximity to the ancient Biblical city of Sodom. However, he referred to the lake by its Greek name, Asphaltites.
Various sects of Jews settled in caves overlooking the Dead Sea. The best known of these are the Essenes of Qumran, who left an extensive library known as the Dead Sea Scrolls. The town of Ein Gedi, mentioned many times in the Mishna, produced persimmon for the temple's fragrance and for export, using a secret recipe. Sodomite salt was an essential mineral for the temple's holy incense, but was said to be dangerous for home use and could cause blindness. The Roman camps surrounding Masada were built by Jewish slaves receiving water from the towns around the lake. These towns had drinking water from the Ein Feshcha springs and other sweetwater springs in the vicinity.
Byzantine period-
Intimately connected with the Judean wilderness to its northwest and west, the Dead Sea was a place of escape and refuge. The remoteness of the region attracted Greek Orthodox monks since the Byzantine era. Their monasteries, such as Saint George in Wadi Kelt and Mar Saba in the Judean Desert, are places of pilgrimage.