Characterization of the Dead Sea Scrolls by advanced analytical techniques

Abstract

For many years after the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, text analysis and fragment attribution were the main concern of the scholars dealing with them. The uncertain archaeological provenance of a large part of the collection added difficulties to the already formidable task of sorting thousands of fragments. After 60 years of scholarly research the questions of origin, archaeological provenance and correct attribution of the fragments are still debated. To help address these questions we have developed a methodology suitable for the material studies of the scrolls using combinations of X-ray, FTIR and Raman techniques.On the one hand, an accurate characterization of the highly heterogeneous writing media of the Dead Sea Scrolls leads to a reliable reconstruction of their history and, thus, contributes significantly to the current debate. On the other hand, it provides new information on the production of ancient parchment towards the end of the Second Temple period, opening a new page in the historical study of technology.

Scientific Study Tour of Ancient Israel

“…Much current information about the scrolls is available at the scrolls digitization project of the Israel Antiquities Authority (19). One of the scientists who has published extensively on the analyses of these scrolls is Dr. Ira Rabin of the BAM Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing in Berlin, and some of her recent publications are listed in the references (20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26).…”

Books and Materiality

“…This basic technique was adapted by different communities as it spread across the interconnected world. The Jewish makers of the Dead Sea Scrolls used salts to prepare their parchment (Ryder 1964;Reed 1975;Rabin and Hahn 2013). In Ethiopia, the oldest surviving illustrated Christian text, the Garima Gospels, were copied onto parchment prepared no later than 570 CE (McKenzie and Watson 2016).…”

Non-Invasive and Non-Destructive Examination of Artistic Pigments, Paints, and Paintings by Means of X-Ray Methods

“…Among the commercial apparatus currently available, there are some specifically developed for the local investigation of works of art [88]. By incorporation of additional degrees of freedom of the measuring head, the analysis of Antique manuscripts [89,90] and bronzes [91,92], Medieval paintings [93], Chinese porcelain [94], and Baroque-era drawings [95] has become possible.…”