Dead Sea Scrolls make it to cyberspace

Israeli scientists have begun the process of digitising the Dead Sea Scrolls, with the aim of making the documents available to the general public and researchers on the internet.

Israeli scientists have begun the process of digitising the Dead Sea Scrolls, with the aim of making the documents available to the general public and researchers on the internet.

The Israel Antiquities Authority who are the custodians of the scrolls believe the project will take two years to complete.

The scrolls will be photographed by special cameras that emit no damaging heat or ultraviolet beams. The images created have allowed the scientists to see sections and letters in the scroll that previously were not visible to the naked eye.

The scrolls were originally discovered by Bedouin shepherds in 1947 in caves near the Dead Sea. Since that time, the scrolls have been only available for viewing by a limited number of scholars. By digitising the scrolls, 1000s of scholars will potentially have access to these valuable historic documents, whilst preserving the integrity of the artifact.

Source: SMH