The Archaeology of Qumran and the Dead Sea Scrolls

by Jodi Magness

Book Overview

The Dead Sea Scrolls are among the most interesting and important archaeological discoveries ever made, and the excavation of the Qumran community itself has provided invaluable information about Judaism and the Jewish world in the last centuries B.C.E.
Like the Dead Sea Scrolls, however, the Qumran site continues to be the object of intense scholarly debate. In a book meant to introduce general readers to this fascinating area of study, veteran...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0802826873
• ISBN13: 9780802826879
• Release Date: July 2003
• Publisher: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
• Length: 238 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.3" x 9.4"

Customer Reviews

BEST OF ARCHAEOLOGY

Most work on Qumran & the Dead Sea Scrolls is of a theological nature. This is the finest work I have found from an archaeological perspective. It is technical enough for the professionals and interesting for the lay people. It was a fitting prelude to visiting the actual exhibit.

All things old...

The archaeology and scriptural/textual studies of the Dead Sea Scrolls have held the public imagination for much of the past half-century. Since the first Scrolls were discovered not far from the ancient site of Qumran in the late 1940s, there has been an air of mystery and intrigue around them unlike almost any other archaeological find. This is largely because of the association with the text of the Bible and the undeniable impact it has had on modern culture. The book The Archaeology of Qumran and the Dead Sea Scrolls is a welcome addition to the ranks of basic introductory texts on the topic. The author, Jodi Magness, is on the faculty of the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. Her professional interests centre largely on early Judaism, and include such topics as ancient pottery, ancient synagogue architecture and construction, the role of the Roman Army in the Eastern Empire, and, of course, the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Qumrani settlement. An experienced field archaeologist, she has participated in twenty different excavations in the Middle East and Greece, including work at Masada, the great fortress in the south of Israel that was a `last stand' spot during the Jewish revolt against the Romans. An Introduction to the Archaeology of Qumran In her first chapter, Magness looks at the basics of Qumran. Not a tourist hot-spot until fairly recently, for much of its excavation history it has been a desolate and remote location. One problem Magness highlights is that the primary person associated with archaeological excavation of Qumran, Roland de Vaux, who was also part of the controversial scroll research and translation team, never published a final report on his archaeological studies. There were several preliminary and introductory reports (not all of which have been made available in English translation to this day), but de Vaux died before finishing. Truth be told, this is not a problem unique to de Vaux or to Qumran, and publications such as Biblical Archaeology Review have highlighted the problem of archaeologists who do not follow through with their research by putting it into publication. Magness cautions against looking at her work as anything definitive. This is more of an introduction and overview of the current state of affairs. She gives further in this chapter a brief introduction for the untrained in archaeological methodology, a survey of dating techniques, and a look at why Qumran is controversial. Arachaeology is far from an exact science; dependent upon interpretation and knowledge of ancient human behaviours, it is subject to multiple interpretations and constant revision in the light of new finds. Qumran is awash in multiple interpretations as to the nature of the community there and the use of rooms and artifacts found there. Subsequent chapters cover the following topic in some detail, outlining continuing areas of question and controversy, as well as Magness's own theories.-The Discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls and

A Well-written Study

In this well-written study Jodi Magness helps us see how people lived at Qumran and why they did things as they did. Unlike many scholars, Jodi Magness is persoanl in her reporting and evaluating. She speaks from experience as a working archaeologist. The Intoduction the Archaeology of Qumran is a fascinating overview of the field. Maps and illustrations add to the value of the introduction and the chapters which follow. Each of the ten chapters has an extensive bibliography to encourage in-depth study. Reading this book will not only add depth to Bible study but it will challenge the reader to see and appreciate more the world around him. What do the items found in our own backyards tell about people who lived where we do? Jodi Magness teaches in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She has participated in 20 different excavations in Israel and Greece.

No Fringe Theories Allowed

Jodi Magness points out in the introduction to her book that there are two reasons why fringe theories about the Dead Sea Scrolls are numerous. The second is that "we tend to side with the underdogs." The first reason is that controversy sells. Magness shows why the available archaeological evidence supports the basic conclusions of Roland de Vaux. The scrolls and the Qumran settlement are related. The scrolls were owned by a sectarian group. The settlement is not a villa rustica. Etc. Yet Magness does not rubber stamp the work of de Vaux. For example she sets forth her own chronology of the settlement.This book is not for people who subscribe to fringe theories. There are no Christian writings found among the scrolls. Nor are the scrolls a depository of the Temple either in 62 BCE or 68 CE. There used to be a sect known as the Essenes who lived at Khirbet Qumran...