Qumran
Jordan Valley
Overview
Set against dramatic desert cliffs above the Dead Sea, Qumran is the site where a Bedouin shepherd discovered the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1947 — the most significant biblical manuscript find in history. The caves where the scrolls were hidden are visible in the cliffs above.
Highlights
Set against dramatic desert cliffs above the Dead Sea, Qumran is the site where a Bedouin shepherd discovered the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1947 — the most significant biblical manuscript find in history
The caves where the scrolls were hidden are visible in the cliffs above
Biblical significance
The Essenes, a Jewish sect, lived at Qumran and preserved scrolls including the oldest known manuscripts of every book of the Hebrew Bible except Esther. Their community gives essential context to the religious world of Second Temple Judaism.
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