Beno Rothenberg

Perched on a cliff outcropping, a member of the 1953 team exploring the caves near the Dead Sea enjoys a view of Nahal Hever. Several Israeli expeditions in the 1950s and early 1960s uncovered spectacular finds—including caches of letters, Biblical fragments, even a white-robed skeleton—but the difficulties in excavating inside almost inaccessible caves prevented thorough investigation. Author Baruch Safrai, a member of the 1953 team and the discoverer of the robed skeleton, writes that scrolls and other materials are almost sure to be found if the caves were to be reexcavated with more advanced equipment.