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Where were the Dead Sea Scrolls found near the Dead Sea?
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Dead Sea
Salt deposits at the Dead Sea near Masada, Israel.
The Dead Sea Scrolls were recovered from five principal sites in the Judaean wilderness near the Dead Sea:
- Khirbat Qumrān: Located on the northwestern shore of the Dead Sea, this site is where the first manuscripts were discovered in 1947 and where the majority of the scrolls were found in 11 caves.123
- Wadi Al-Murabba‘āt: Situated 11 miles (18 km) south of Qumrān, this site yielded documents left by fugitives during the Second Jewish Revolt.2
- ‘En Gedi region: Discoveries south of this oasis include sites such as the "Cave of Letters" and the "Cave of Horrors" in Naḥal Ḥever and Naḥal Ṣe’elim, which contained documents from the Bar Kokhba era.2
- Wadi Daliyeh: Located 8.5 miles (13.6 km) north of ancient Jericho, this site yielded legal documents deposited by Samarians in 331 bce.2
- Masada: This fortress site produced several manuscripts, including fragments of Psalms, Leviticus, and Genesis.2