Dead Sea Scrolls

We visited the ancient village of Qumran yesterday. This is where an outcast group of the Sadducees sought refuge after being forced to flee. They became known as the Essenes. They were small in number, and developed a homestead in yet another barren desert area along the Dead Sea. Years after they settled there, Roman troops were marching to take Masada and burned/destroyed Qumran, but before they did, the villagers stored their sacred Torah in clay vessels and hid them in the caves up along the hillside. They were discovered around 1947 by Bedouin shepards, and are known to us as the Dead Sea Scrolls. There is so much history here, and all of it is so fascinating to learn about! The pictures below are of the caves where some of the scrolls were found. Today we will visit the museum where the clay vessels are displayed 😊.

Above, the banks of the Red Sea near the village of Qumran 😊. And below, photos of the village itself!