The Dead Sea Scrolls

The Dead Sea Scrolls were first discovered in 1947 by a young Bedouin shepherd who walked into an abandoned cave in the Judean Desert, adjoining the Dead Sea, in search for a strayed kid. The cave was full of jars containing scores of ancient scrolls. Similar scrolls were later recovered from 11 other caves in the adjoining area. A little later the Qumran ruin, an ancient civilization, was discovered at the same site. Study revealed that the ruins and the scrolls dated back to a period between the third century B.C.E. and 68 C.E., a time when Jesus of Nazareth lived. These ancient manuscripts of leather, papyrus and copper have helped historians trace the origin of Christianity and Judaism, besides understanding the relationship between the former and Jewish rites.