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Qumran in context : reassessing the archaeological evidence / Yizhar Hirschfeld.

By: Material type: TextTextPublication details: Peabody, Mass. : Hendrickson Publishers, c2004.Description: xxvi, 270 p ; illustrations, maps, color plates ; 23 cmISBN:
  • 1565636120
  • 9781565636125
Subject(s): DDC classification:
  • 933 22
LOC classification:
  • BM175.Q6 H57 2004
Contents:
The study of Qumran -- The origin of the scrolls : Qumran or Jerusalem? -- The archaeology of Qumran -- The estate of Qumran at ʻEin Feshkha -- Qumran in context : the Dead Sea Valley in the Second Temple period.
Summary: What if the Dead Sea Scrolls were not a product of an Essene Community at Qumran? In this bold reassessment of the archaeological evidence of Qumran and other nearby first-century sites on the western shore of the Dead Sea, Professor Hirschfeld argues persuasively that Qumran is not the site of an Essene community hitherto thought to be responsible for the Dead Sea Scrolls. Reassessing and marshalling the evidence (some of which was overlooked in earlier explanations of the site) with the skill of a detective reconstructing the scene of a crime, Hirschfeld reveals that Qumran was not the communal site of an impoverished and ascetic religious group, but the prosperous estate of an influential member of society. Bringing a new understanding to the textual evidence of the archaeology of the site during the Roman period as well as evidence from neighboring archaeological sites, Hirschfeld dramatically illustrates his arguments with more than 135 maps, archaeological drawings and reconstructions, as well as vivid photographs of the archaeological and geographic sites. A masterpiece of argument with lasting impact on our understanding of the origins of the Dead Sea Scrolls, this work will be discussed in academic circles for years to come and will be appreciated by all who are intrigued by the mysteries surrounding the ancient texts associated with Qumran. The implications of this new perspective for the scholarly understanding of the Dead Sea Scrolls are earth-shifting.
Item type: Books
Holdings
Current library Collection Call number Vol info Status Date due Barcode
Judith Thomas Library General Stacks BKS BM 175 .Q6 H57 2004 (Browse shelf(Opens below)) AUA018894 Available AUA018894

Horn Museum items are located at 9047 Old US Hwy 31.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 245-261) and indexes.

The study of Qumran -- The origin of the scrolls : Qumran or Jerusalem? -- The archaeology of Qumran -- The estate of Qumran at ʻEin Feshkha -- Qumran in context : the Dead Sea Valley in the Second Temple period.

What if the Dead Sea Scrolls were not a product of an Essene Community at Qumran? In this bold reassessment of the archaeological evidence of Qumran and other nearby first-century sites on the western shore of the Dead Sea, Professor Hirschfeld argues persuasively that Qumran is not the site of an Essene community hitherto thought to be responsible for the Dead Sea Scrolls. Reassessing and marshalling the evidence (some of which was overlooked in earlier explanations of the site) with the skill of a detective reconstructing the scene of a crime, Hirschfeld reveals that Qumran was not the communal site of an impoverished and ascetic religious group, but the prosperous estate of an influential member of society. Bringing a new understanding to the textual evidence of the archaeology of the site during the Roman period as well as evidence from neighboring archaeological sites, Hirschfeld dramatically illustrates his arguments with more than 135 maps, archaeological drawings and reconstructions, as well as vivid photographs of the archaeological and geographic sites. A masterpiece of argument with lasting impact on our understanding of the origins of the Dead Sea Scrolls, this work will be discussed in academic circles for years to come and will be appreciated by all who are intrigued by the mysteries surrounding the ancient texts associated with Qumran. The implications of this new perspective for the scholarly understanding of the Dead Sea Scrolls are earth-shifting.