Radiocarbon Dating of Fourteen Dead Sea Scrolls

TLDR

The Dead Sea Scrolls consist of about 1200 manuscripts found in caves near the Dead Sea, ranging from small fragments to complete biblical books, sectarian texts, letters, and commercial documents, and are typically dated by indirect archaeological and paleographical evidence, with only a few containing direct dating information. The study aimed to verify paleographic dating by measuring radiocarbon ages of 14 selected scrolls. Accelerator mass spectrometry was employed to determine the radiocarbon ages. The calibrated radiocarbon ages largely corroborated the paleographic estimates or specific dates noted on the scrolls, with one exception.

Abstract

The name Dead Sea Scrolls refers to some 1200 manuscripts found in caves in the hills on the western shore of the Dead Sea during the last 45 years. They range in size from small fragments to complete books from the holy scriptures (the Old Testament). The manuscripts also include uncanonized sectarian books, letters and commercial documents, written on papyrus and parchment. In only a few cases, direct information on the date of writing was found in the scrolls. In all other cases, the dating is based on indirect archaeological and paleographical evidence. To check this evidence, radiocarbon ages of 14 selected scrolls were determined using accelerator mass spectrometry. The calibrated radiocarbon ages agree well, except in one case, with the paleographic estimates or the specific dates noted on the scrolls.