2-Year-Old Biblical Scroll Fragments Found in Israel

Fragments of 2-year-old biblical scrolls found in Israel. Not since the Qumran discoveries in the 40s and 50s Vatican City

Israel has found in the Judean Desert new fragments of biblical scrolls dating back 2 years. The finds are mainly written in Greek and contain portions of the twelve minor prophets, especially Zechariah and Nahum. These are believed to be the heritage deposited in the caves during the great anti-Roman revolts of the Jewish people.

The discovery

The discovery is the result of an excavation operation conducted by the Israel Antiquities Authority and has also brought to light a cache of rare coins from the time of Bar-Kokhba, the Jewish leader who led the revolt against the Romans between 132 and 135 AD; a 6.000-year-old child skeleton, probably female, wrapped in cloth and mummified; and a large intact basket dating back 10.500 years, probably the oldest in the world. It is an important discovery because, Marcello Fidanzio, Director of the Institute of Archaeology and Culture of the Biblical Lands in Lugano, explains to Vatican News, “after the great discoveries of the 40s and 50s, especially at Qumran and in the Judean Desert, nothing similar had happened in relation to biblical texts. Finds of such importance rekindle the emotion of the pioneers”. The discovery “is also of great interest to the Israelis who underline how this research is linked to their identity, to the history of their presence in the land of Israel”.

Read the Green pass for next summer's travels