𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗦𝗲𝗮 𝗦𝗰𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘀: 𝗔 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 #biblicalarchaeology #history #discovery #israel

Location
1. Qumran is located on the northwest side of the Dead Sea on Hwy. 90 about 13 miles (21 km.) east of Jerusalem.
2. It’s in the Judean Wilderness, where it’s barren and hot.
3. It’s located 1200 feet (366 m.) below sea level.
4. Its water source comes from the Judean Mountains to the west of the community via an aqueduct.
5. There are many caves in the area.
6. At Qumran, one of the most important discoveries in the history of biblical archaeology took place in around 1947.

Historical Background
1. It’s believed that the ancient settlement of Qumran was established by a Jewish group called the Essenes.
2. They lived here from about 200 BC to around 68 AD.
3. There were around 200 people who inhabited Qumran during its history.
4. The Essenes were a Jewish sect that flourished from the 2nd century BC to the 1st century AD. They were a spiritually devoted group of folks who left Jerusalem because they believed that the priesthood had become corrupted beyond repair and separated themselves to study the Bible, copy it, and seek the Lord in the desert.
5. The Essenes existed in large numbers; thousands lived throughout Judaea. They were fewer in number than the Pharisees and Sadducees (the other two major sects at the time). The Essenes lived in various cities but congregated in communal life dedicated to voluntary poverty, daily immersion, and asceticism. They mainly lived in the surrounding caves or tents just outside the community.
6. They were a strict