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

A groundbreaking international research project funded by the European Research Council (ERC) will combine chemical analysis and artificial intelligence to investigate the origins of the Dead Sea Scrolls, considered the greatest archaeological discovery of the 20th century. Led by Professor Malden Popović from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, the five-year study has received a 2.5 million euro grant and involves collaboration with the Israel Antiquities Authority and research laboratories across Europe.

The project aims to determine where the scrolls were produced and written, shedding new light on the scribes, knowledge centers, and text dissemination in ancient Judea. Despite the scrolls’ immense historical importance, the exact locations of their creation remain unclear. Researchers will analyze about 250 samples of parchment and papyrus from the scrolls collection preserved by the Israel Antiquities Authority in Jerusalem, alongside papyrus samples from Egypt for comparative study.

Using chemical tests on ink, parchment, and papyrus combined with handwriting analysis and codicology, the team will identify material and stylistic "fingerprints" to establish whether the scrolls originated from a single site, multiple production centers, or were transported to the Judean desert from elsewhere. Artificial intelligence tools will process complex chemical data patterns and integrate linguistic and literary features to map the scrolls’ origins and the networks of knowledge in ancient Judea.

Professor Popović emphasized the project’s unprecedented scale and the novel questions it can address about the cultural context of the scrolls, including their production, distribution, and societal role. The research builds on Popović’s previous ERC project focused on identifying scribes and manuscripts, expanding the scope to include material composition and cultural networks.

Dr. Elit Cohen-Ofri from the Israel Antiquities Authority highlighted the creation of an unparalleled chemical composition database for the scrolls, which will help unlock secrets preserved for thousands of years. The project involves researchers and labs from Jerusalem, Pisa, Naples, Odense, and collaborations with Egyptian museums and the University of Leuven. Israeli Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu praised the initiative as a national responsibility to preserve and scientifically study the scrolls and share their story globally.