Saving the Dead Sea Scrolls for the Next 2000 Years

The Dead Sea Scrolls were preserved in remarkable condition for 2000 years in the Qumran caves overlooking the Dead Sea. It seems almost a miracle that these caves in which the Essenes stored their scrolls were very nearly the perfect environment for the preservation of the documents. Despite the capabilities of modern science, it is difficult, if not impossible, to reproduce precisely this environment in a Jerusalem museum. Although only a thirty-minute drive from Qumran, Jerusalem is 2500 feet above sea level, while Qumran is about 1300 feet below sea level. Jerusalem has 20 inches of rain a year, […]