Scholars at the University of Haifa have successfully reassembled and deciphered one of the last unread Dead Sea Scroll manuscripts. Over 60 fragments discovered over 50 years ago were meticulously pieced together using high-resolution images in a computer program similar to Photoshop. They formed a single document that was written in what is known as "Cryptic A Script," a Hebrew replacement code that was first deciphered in the 1950's and is used on eight other Dead Sea Scrolls. The newly-translated manuscript describes the 364-day calendar used by the Essenes of Qumran, and mentions little-known Jewish festivals, such as the Feast of Wood Offering, which is referred to in the Bible (Nh 13:31) but is relatively unknown in other Jewish writings.
Off-site Link:
- https://www.timesofisrael.com/2000-year-old-dead-sea-scroll-deciphered-revealing-2nd-temple-power-struggles/
- http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-42773878
- http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Culture/University-of-Haifa-researchers-decipher-mysterious-Dead-Sea-Scroll-539357
