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Dead Sea Scroll fragments discovered in Manchester University library

Researchers were able to identify letters on four fragments, and on one read ‘Shabbat’ clearly.

May 21, 2020 10:47
It was possible to decipher 'Shabbat' clearly on one of the fragments
2 min read

Researchers at the University of Manchester have discovered that pieces of leather parchment which were thought to be "blank" are in fact Britain’s only authentic Dead Sea Scroll fragments.

The discovery was made at the University of Manchester’s John Rylands Library by a multi-national research team led by King's College Professor Joan Taylor.

“Looking at one of the fragments with a magnifying glass, I thought I saw a small, faded letter – a lamed, the Hebrew letter ‘L’,” Ms Taylor said in a press release.

“Frankly, since all these fragments were supposed to be blank and had even been cut into for leather studies, I also thought I might be imagining things,” she said, “but then it seemed maybe other fragments could have very faded letters too.”