The Dead Sea Scrolls are a collection of the oldest known copy of the Hebrew Scriptures in existence today. The scrolls are roughly 2400 years old and are believed written by members of a ascetic sect of Judaism known as the Essenes. The scrolls were found in a series of caves in Qumran region near the Dead Sea. The first of the scrolls were discovered in 1946 by a Bedouin sheep herders who was seeking out one of his lost flock. The scrolls are written on treated animal hide, called vellum, and are in poor overall condition. Regardless of their condition, it is amazing that these scrolls survived at all considering they had been sitting in jar in caves for over 2000 years.
Efforts are being made by the Israel Museum to preserve, restore, and digitize the Scrolls so that scholars and researchers can have access to these rare works. Currently five of the Scrolls have been digitized: Great Isaiah Scroll, the Community Rule Scroll, the Commentary on Habakkuk Scroll, the Temple Scroll, and the War Scroll.
To accomplish this, the Museum has utilized a 1200 megapixel camera with a specialize flash that minimizes any future damage being done to the ancients texts. I also remember hearing that they were using infra-red scanners to retrieve text that had faded from view of the human eye. Amazing what technology and a little luck can do to help use save information were thought was lost forever
Source: The Project
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