Archeologists from The Hebrew University in Israel have discovered the 12th cave that contained the Dead Sea scrolls. The scrolls are an important part of history as they are ancient manuscripts that contain Judeo-Christian texts.

The 12th Dead Sea Scrolls Cave Looted

The Hebrew University archaeologists found the cave in Qumran near the Dead Sea. It is believed that the Dead Sea scrolls are texts that survived from the Second Temple period. While the discovery is supposed to be celebrated because it is a new find in the last several decades, the Dead Sea scrolls are nowhere to be found.

The Hebrew University team is led by Dr. Oren Gutfeld and Ahiad Ovadia from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem's Institute of Archaeology. The archaeologists said in a university press statement that the Dead Sea scrolls may have been stolen by Bedouins in the 1950s.

The scholars are pushing for the newly discovered cave to be the 12th Dead Sea scrolls cave. Upon properly excavating the site, the archaeologists found evidence that it once housed the manuscripts. They found fragments of jar containers for the scrolls, some leather straps, coverings, pieces of string and more.

Israel's History in Danger from Thieves

The Dead Sea scrolls are said to be an invaluable part of Israel's history, particularly for Judaism and Christianity. According to the Smithsonian Magazine, the manuscripts provide a first-person view of the Second Temple period from 530 BC to 70 CE.

Fragments of valuable historical text and scrolls can fetch a price from thousands of dollars to a million or more. This is why artifacts are in danger of being stolen because thieves can sell it on the black market. Israel Antiquities Authority's Israel Hasson states that additional funding is needed from the Israel government to protect important heritage pieces like the Dead Sea scrolls.

Related