The Dead Sea Scrolls were probably hidden during the First
Jewish Revolt against the occupying Romans in A.D. 66-70, when
Qumran was destroyed and abandoned. At first, few believed the
scrolls could be more than a few hundred years old. But
Carbon-14 testing and handwriting analysis confirmed some are
more than 2,000 years old. Even taking into consideration the
dry climate and the protection provided by caves, the survival
of the scrolls for so many centuries is astounding. Using ink
made from iron salts and tree fungus, and parchment made from
goatskin, the Dead Sea Scroll scribes had to copy each word
painstakingly by hand. The Copper Scroll, from Cave 3, includes
a list of underground hiding places believed by some to hold
treasure. Text on the Dead Sea Scroll fragments has actually
cleared up some of the differences between other historical
biblical manuscripts and our modern translations. American
principles such as freedom, equality and justice can all be
traced back to the Bible and Judaism. Dead Sea