The Dead Sea Scrolls are among the most interestingand important archaeological discoveries evermade, and the excavation of the Qumran communityitself has provided invaluable informationabout Judaism and the Jewish world in the lastcenturies B.C.E.
Like the Dead Sea Scrolls, however, the Qumransite continues to be the object of intensescholarly debate. In a book meant to introducegeneral readers to this fascinating area of study, veteran archaeologist Jodi Magness here providesan overview of the archaeology of Qumran andpresents an exciting new interpretation of thisancient community based on information foundin the Dead Sea Scrolls and other contemporarydocuments.
Magness's work offers a number of freshconclusions concerning life at Qumran. Sheagrees that Qumran was a sectarian settlementbut rejects other unconventional views, includingthe view that Qumran was a "villa rustica ormanor house. By carefully analyzing the publishedinformation on Qumran, she refines thesite's chronology, reinterprets the purpose of someof its rooms, and reexamines the archaeologicalevidence for the presence of women and childrenin the settlement. Numerous photos and diagramsgive readers a firsthand look at the site.
Written with an expert's insight yet with ajournalist's spunk, this engaging book is sureto reinvigorate discussion of this monumentalarchaeological find.
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