Jerusalem's Dead Sea Scrolls

The Dead Sea Scrolls are ancient Jewish manuscripts found near the Dead Sea in the 1940s. Dating from about 250 BCE to 68 CE, they include biblical texts, apocryphal writings, and community rules of a sect thought to be the Essenes. These scrolls provide insight into early Judaism and the historical context of the Hebrew Bible, illuminating religious practices and beliefs during a pivotal time before the rise of Christianity. The discovery significantly advanced our understanding of biblical history, text transmission, and the diversity within Judaism in the Second Temple period.