Endnote 11 – Crosses in the Dead Sea Scrolls: A Waystation on the Road to the Christian Cross

Epiphanius also lists signs very similar to those appearing in the Dead Sea Scrolls and resembling the ankh. In the Greek manuscripts of Epiphanius’ work the ankh sign does not appear but a different sign which occurs earlier in the list does appear. Perhaps the original sign was reproduced incorrectly. In the Syriac manuscripts the ankh sign does occur except that the loop is formed in a rectangular manner. In both the Greek and the Syriac texts Epiphanius says that the significance of the ankh is that it marks passages that foretell future events. This explanation agrees with the content of the passages so marked in the Isaiah Scroll and listed above. Almost all are plainly of eschatological import, and even the first one (in Column 28), which is historical, may be supposed to have had some eschatological interpretation.