JERUSALEM – Archaeologists in Israel have announced a discovery that could shed more light on some of religion’s early history.
A team has found more Dead Sea Scroll fragments in a desert cave, The Associated Press reported.
It is believed that the biblical texts were hidden during a Jewish revolt against Rome about 1,900 years ago.
The pieces of parchment have Greek text written on them that comes from the books of Zechariah and Nahum and other parts of the Book of the Twelve Minor Prophets, NBC News reported.
One portion from Nahum 1:5-6 reads: “The mountains quake because of Him, And the hills melt. The earth heaves before Him, The world and all that dwell therein. Who can stand before His wrath? Who can resist His fury? His anger pours out like fire, and rocks are shattered because of Him,” NBC News reported.
The writing style dates to about the first century.
This is the first time in 60 years that scrolls have been discovered in a dig south of Jerusalem. The dig was conducted over four years, NBC News reported.
The Dead Sea Scrolls are Jewish texts found near Qumran in the 1940s and 1950s. They date back to the third century B.C. to the first century A.D. and outline beliefs of a sect of Judaism.
There are about 80 fragments uncovered in this most recent discovery. They were found in what is called the “Cave of Horror” which got its name from the 40 human skeletons found during a dig in the 1960s, the AP reported.
In addition to the scroll fragments, archaeologists found a 6,000-year-old partially mummified skeleton of a child contained in an even older basket. A CT scan on the remains indicated the child was between 6 and 12 years old and still had skin, tendons and hair partially preserved, NBC News reported.
Israel Antiquities Authority conservator Tanya Bitler shows newly discovered Dead Sea Scroll fragments at the Dead Sea scrolls conservation lab in Jerusalem, Tuesday, March 16, 2021. Israeli archaeologists on Tuesday announced the discovery of dozens of new Dead Sea Scroll fragments bearing a biblical text found in a desert cave and believed hidden during a Jewish revolt against Rome nearly 1,900 years ago. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner)
Israel Antiquities Authority conservator Tanya Bitler shows newly discovered Dead Sea Scroll fragments at the Dead Sea scrolls conservation lab in Jerusalem, Tuesday, March 16, 2021. Israeli archaeologists on Tuesday announced the discovery of dozens of new Dead Sea Scroll fragments bearing a biblical text found in a desert cave and believed hidden during a Jewish revolt against Rome nearly 1,900 years ago. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner)
Archeologist Haim Cohen looks at a woven basket that was found during a sweep of more than 500 caves in the desert, at the Israeli Antiquities Authority Dead Sea scrolls conservation lab in Jerusalem, Tuesday, March 16, 2021. Israeli archaeologists on Tuesday announced the discovery of dozens of new Dead Sea Scroll fragments bearing a biblical text found in a desert cave and believed hidden during a Jewish revolt against Rome nearly 1,900 years ago. Alongside the Roman-era artifacts, items shown to journalists Tuesday included far older discoveries including the immense, complete woven basket from the Neolithic period, estimated to be 10,500 years old, preserved in caves’ arid climate. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner)
Archeologist Haim Cohen looks at a woven basket that was found during a sweep of more than 500 caves in the desert, at the Israeli Antiquities Authority Dead Sea scrolls conservation lab in Jerusalem, Tuesday, March 16, 2021. Israeli archaeologists on Tuesday announced the discovery of dozens of new Dead Sea Scroll fragments bearing a biblical text found in a desert cave and believed hidden during a Jewish revolt against Rome nearly 1,900 years ago. Alongside the Roman-era artifacts, items shown to journalists Tuesday included far older discoveries including the immense, complete woven basket from the Neolithic period, estimated to be 10,500 years old, preserved in caves’ arid climate. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner)
The Israel Antiquities Authority displays newly discovered Dead Sea Scroll fragments at the Dead Sea scrolls conservation lab in Jerusalem, Tuesday, March 16, 2021. Israeli archaeologists on Tuesday announced the discovery of dozens of new Dead Sea Scroll fragments bearing a biblical text found in a desert cave and believed hidden during a Jewish revolt against Rome nearly 1,900 years ago. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner)
The Israel Antiquities Authority shows a sandal that was found during its sweep of more than 500 caves in the desert, at a conservation lab in Jerusalem, Tuesday, March 16, 2021. Israeli archaeologists on Tuesday announced the discovery of dozens of new Dead Sea Scroll fragments bearing a biblical text found in a desert cave and believed hidden during a Jewish revolt against Rome nearly 1,900 years ago. Alongside the Roman-era artifacts, items shown to journalists Tuesday included far older discoveries preserved in caves’ arid climate. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner)
Israel Antiquities Authority conservator Tanya Bitler shows newly discovered Dead Sea Scroll fragments at the Dead Sea scrolls conservation lab in Jerusalem, Tuesday, March 16, 2021. Israeli archaeologists on Tuesday announced the discovery of dozens of new Dead Sea Scroll fragments bearing a biblical text found in a desert cave and believed hidden during a Jewish revolt against Rome nearly 1,900 years ago. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner)
A fragile fragment of an enigmatic Dead Sea Scroll is on public display at the Israel Museum for the first time since its discovery 70 years ago, in Jerusalem, Tuesday, March. 20, 2018. The Genesis Apocryphon, the sole copy of an ancient Jewish text elaborating on stories from the first book of the Bible, dates to the 1st century BCE and was among the first seven scrolls found in the Judean Desert in 1947. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)
An Israel Antiquities Authority worker shows silver coins struck by rebels in the Jewish uprising against Rome between 132 and 136 AD that were found during its sweep of more than 500 caves in the desert, at a conservation lab in Jerusalem, Tuesday, March 16, 2021. Israeli archaeologists on Tuesday announced the discovery of dozens of new Dead Sea Scroll fragments bearing a biblical text found in a desert cave and believed hidden during a Jewish revolt against Rome nearly 1,900 years ago. Alongside the Roman-era artifacts, items shown to journalists Tuesday included far older discoveries preserved in caves’ arid climate. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner)
Israel Antiquities Authority conservator Tanya Bitler shows newly discovered Dead Sea Scroll fragments at the Dead Sea scrolls conservation lab in Jerusalem, Tuesday, March 16, 2021. Israeli archaeologists on Tuesday announced the discovery of dozens of new Dead Sea Scroll fragments bearing a biblical text found in a desert cave and believed hidden during a Jewish revolt against Rome nearly 1,900 years ago. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner)
