QUMRAN, KHIRBET [KIR beht KOOM rahn] — an ancient ruin on the northwestern shore of the Dead Sea (see Map 6, B–4). In 1947 a wandering goatherder looking for his goats in caves above the dry river bed, or wadi, of Qumran found several large jars. These jars contained ancient scrolls that have since become known as the DEAD SEA SCROLLS. Following this discovery, the area was opened for extensive archaeological research.

From 1951 to 1956 excavation of the area revealed more scrolls, as well as dated coins, pottery, and fragments from scrolls. These items made it possible to connect the Dead Sea Scrolls discovered in nearby caves to the Qumran community, which lived in Khirbet Qumran.

Excavations reveal that Khirbet Qumran was a Jewish community that was active from 130 B.C. to A.D. 135. In 31 B.C. an earthquake destroyed the settlement and made it uninhabitable. In 4 B.C. another group of Jews rebuilt on the site, enlarged it, and occupied it until the war with Rome in A.D. 68, when the Roman garrison sent to destroy Jericho took command of this outpost in the desert. Jewish zealots reestablished themselves at Qumran in A.D. 90 and defended their position until A.D. 135, when the Romans again fought and conquered Jewish resistance.

Photo by Gustav Jeeninga

Cave Four at Qumran, where hundreds of Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered, is visible at upper right. The Dead Sea looms in the background.

Some of the remains of walls and pottery in Khirbet Qumran date to the eighth and seventh centuries B.C.—the time of King Uzziah of Judah. The significant period is much later, around 50 B.C. to A.D. 68, when a group of pious Jews built and occupied the fortress, or monastery-like dwelling, at Qumran. The people who occupied the fortress committed themselves to a disciplined life of obedience to the Law as interpreted by the leader of the community, known as the Teacher of Righteousness. Some of the writings found here may be a collection of teachings from the Teacher of Righteousness himself.

The exact identity of the people who lived in Qumran in this later period is not known. Scholars have suggested that they were a small group of Jews who were disgusted with the corruption and lawlessness of the priests and leaders responsible for worship at the Temple in Jerusalem. The Qumran community sought to purify itself from the sin of those who distorted the law. Large baths or pools were found in Khirbet Qumran and were probably used for daily ritual baths. Twelve hundred grave sites were found just east of the ruin. The skeletal remains were simply laid to rest in the ground without any burial objects. This indicates that a large number of people inhabited Qumran at one time.

Josephus and Philo, both first-century A.D. Jewish writers, describe a group known as ESSENES who occupied communities similar to Qumran. This has led some scholars to the conviction that Essenes were the residents of Khirbet Qumran and were the authors of the Dead Sea Scrolls. During the Jewish wars with Rome (A.D. 66–73 and A.D. 132–135) ZEALOTS joined the people of Qumran for what they believed to be the final war with evil. The Romans won the war and destroyed the memory of these people until the discovery of the caves at Qumran in 1947.

Photo by John Trever

The Qumran community was situated on this plateau (center) and separated from the surrounding territory by a deep gorge.