Dead Sea Scrolls: Life in Ancient Times

In 1947, a goatherd wandered into one of the many hidden caves along the banks of the Dead Sea — and concealed inside were ancient scrolls that had not been seen in 2,000 years. These Dead Sea Scrolls include literary writings of the times and the oldest known texts of the Bible, making their discovery perhaps the most significant archaeological find of the last century.

Enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see fragments of the priceless scrolls (some never displayed in North America), along with one of the most comprehensive collection of antiquities from Israel ever organized. Highlights include a three-ton stone from Jerusalem’s Western Wall, limestone capitals from the first temple period (1000 – 586 BCE), ossuaries from the early Roman period, and an ancient signature preserved for millennia on the Archer Seal. Together these artifacts reveal precious details about the culture, rituals, and beliefs of an influential Iron Age people.