International Study Uses AI and Chemistry to Trace Origins of Dead Sea Scrolls

A groundbreaking international research project funded by the European Research Council (ERC) has been launched to investigate the origins of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Professor Malden Popović from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands received a 2.5 million euro grant for a five-year study conducted in collaboration with the Israel Antiquities Authority and European research laboratories. The project aims to determine where the ancient texts were created and written, shedding new light on the scribes behind these historic manuscripts.

The Dead Sea Scrolls, preserved and maintained at the Israel Antiquities Authority laboratories in Jerusalem, include some of the oldest known biblical texts. For over 70 years, scholars have debated whether the scrolls were produced at Qumran by a secluded Jewish community or brought from other writing centers in Judea, such as Jerusalem, and hidden in the desert caves during times of danger. The new research will examine not only the content and handwriting but also the materials and production techniques of the scrolls.

Researchers will analyze about 250 samples of parchment and papyrus from the Dead Sea Scrolls collection, including for the first time papyrus samples from Egypt for comparison. Chemical tests on ink, parchment, and papyrus combined with handwriting analysis and codicology will help identify material and stylistic "fingerprints" to determine if the scrolls originated from a single location, multiple production centers, or were transported from various places. Artificial intelligence tools will process the chemical data to detect complex patterns.

The study will integrate linguistic and literary features to build a comprehensive model mapping the vast collection of over 25,000 manuscript fragments held by the Israel Antiquities Authority. This model aims to place the scribes and scrolls in their historical and geographical context, potentially identifying centers of writing, study, and knowledge transmission in ancient Judea and beyond.

Dr. Elit Cohen-Ofri from the Israel Antiquities Authority emphasized the unprecedented chemical database the research will create and the importance of understanding the materials to unlock secrets preserved for millennia. Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu highlighted the scrolls as a profound testament to the ancient Jewish world of faith, learning, and creativity, underscoring the national responsibility to preserve and scientifically study these invaluable artifacts for future generations worldwide.