Room with Benches, Qumran

These caves, discovered by Bedouin shepherds at the end of the British Mandate period (1918–1948), contained numerous scrolls and scroll fragments, which came to be known as the Dead Sea Scrolls, in…

Many cylindrical earthenware jars were found in the caves surrounding the site of Qumran. The jars contained fragments of ancient documents written in the first century BCE and the first century CE…

The presence of plastered benches and inkwells in this part of the Qumran site suggests that it may have been used for writing and copying manuscripts, including the manuscripts found in the caves…

Over two hundred terracotta lamps were found at Qumran, mostly in fragments. This lamp is 10 cm (4 in) long and has a large central hole for filling with oil and a wick made from palm fiber.

The settlement at Qumran contained a number of cisterns, mikvaot, and pools and channels for water, suggesting a concern with purity (also reflected in sectarian texts found at the site), which…