The Temple Scroll, the longest of the Dead Sea Scrolls, is the focus of a special triptych of articles in this issue. These articles present three different aspects of the scroll’s history and meaning. First, in “Intrigue and the Scroll—Behind the Scenes of Israel’s Acquisition of the Temple Scroll,” BAR editor Hershel Shanks reveals for the first time the secret story of how the scroll came to light and spurred delicate, but ultimately futile, negotiations for its acquisition. Shanks also reveals the identity of the mysterious “Mr. Z,” the American intermediary in the Temple Scroll negotiations. It’s a story […]