History and Archaeology|Second Temple Period
Qumran is an archaeological site near the Dead Sea, best known for the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls and its connection to Second Temple Jewish sects.
Qumran is located near the northwestern shore of the Dead Sea. In 1947, Bedouin shepherds discovered ancient manuscripts in its caves—what became known as the Dead Sea Scrolls. These texts include biblical, apocryphal, and sectarian documents, offering insights into Second Temple Judaism. The settlement at Qumran is believed to have housed the Essenes, a Jewish sect that practiced communal life, ritual purity, and apocalyptic expectation. The site includes mikva’ot, a scribe’s room, and cemetery. The scrolls revolutionized biblical scholarship and are now housed in Jerusalem’s Shrine of the Book.
Wikipedia; Virtual Jewish Library; Times of Israel
