Deciphering a Burnt Scroll

A piece of the burnt scroll Advanced technologies have made it possible to read parts of a scroll that was completely burnt c. 1,500 [years ago], inside the Holy Ark of the synagogue at Ein Gedi.

The parchment scroll was unearthed in 1970 in archaeological excavations headed by the late Dr. Dan Barag and Dr. Sefi Porath. However, due to its charred condition, it was not possible either to preserve or decipher it.

About a year ago the Israeli company, Merkel Technologies Company, offered their professional assistance in performing high-resolution 3D scanning of some Dead Sea Scrolls fragments. The fragment of the Ein Gedi scroll was scanned along with them. The IAA then sent the outcome of these scans to Professor Brent Seales of the University of Kentucky who developed digital imaging software which virtually unrolls the scroll and visualizes the text. Thus, there was great surprise and excitement when the first eight verses of the Book of Leviticus suddenly became legible.

According to Pnina Shor, curator and director of IAA’s Dead Sea Scrolls Projects, “We were certain it was just a shot in the dark but decided to try and scan the burnt scroll anyway. Now, not only can we bequeath the Dead Sea Scrolls to future generations, but also a part of the Bible from a Holy Ark of a 1,500-year-old synagogue!”