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14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
All things old..., June 11, 2003
The archaeology and scriptural/textual studies of the Dead Sea Scrolls have held the public imagination for much of the past half-century. Since the first Scrolls were discovered not far from the ancient site of Qumran in the late 1940s, there has been an air of mystery and intrigue around them unlike almost any other archaeological find. This is largely because of the association with the text of the Bible and the undeniable impact it has had on modern culture. The book The Archaeology of Qumran and the Dead Sea Scrolls is a welcome addition to the ranks of basic introductory texts on the topic. The author, Jodi Magness, is on the faculty of the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. Her professional interests centre largely on early Judaism, and include such topics as ancient pottery, ancient synagogue architecture and construction, the role of the Roman Army in the Eastern Empire, and, of course, the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Qumrani settlement. An experienced field archaeologist, she has participated in twenty different excavations in the Middle East and Greece, including work at Masada, the great fortress in the south of Israel that was a `last stand' spot during the Jewish revolt against the Romans. An Introduction to the Archaeology of Qumran
In her first chapter, Magness looks at the basics of Qumran. Not a tourist hot-spot until fairly recently, for much of its excavation history it has been a desolate and remote location. One problem Magness highlights is that the primary person associated with archaeological excavation of Qumran, Roland de Vaux, who was also part of the controversial scroll research and translation team, never published a final report on his archaeological studies. There were several preliminary and introductory reports (not all of which have been made available in English translation to this day), but de Vaux died before finishing. Truth be told, this is not a problem unique to de Vaux or to Qumran, and publications such as Biblical Archaeology Review have highlighted the problem of archaeologists who do not follow through with their research by putting it into publication. Magness cautions against looking at her work as anything definitive. This is more of an introduction and overview of the current state of affairs. She gives further in this chapter a brief introduction for the untrained in archaeological methodology, a survey of dating techniques, and a look at why Qumran is controversial. Arachaeology is far from an exact science; dependent upon interpretation and knowledge of ancient human behaviours, it is subject to multiple interpretations and constant revision in the light of new finds. Qumran is awash in multiple interpretations as to the nature of the community there and the use of rooms and artifacts found there. Subsequent chapters cover the following topic in some detail, outlining continuing areas of question and controversy, as well as Magness's own theories. -The Discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Exploration of Qumran
-The Dead Sea Scrolls and the Community at Qumran
-The Buildings and Occupation Phases of Qumran
-What Do Pottery and Architecture Tell Us about Qumran?
-Communal Meals, a Toilet, and Sacred Space at Qumran
-Miqva'ot at Qumran
-Women and the Cemetery at Qumran
-The Temple Tax, Clothing, and the Anti-Hellenizing Attitude of the Sectarians The Settlements at Ein Feshkha and Ein el-Ghuweir Magness concludes by looking at two settlements also at the north end of the Dead Sea that have a relationship with Qumran. She describes the layout and buildings, as well as some of the finds associated with them. Magness is wary of direct connections being assumed between Qumran and these other nearby settlements. In some cases time frame conflicts, and in others simply a lack of any direct evidence leads to her suspicion. However, absence of evidence is not evidence of absence and she allows that there might have been relationship between the three sites. Extra stuff
At the beginning of the book is a brief introduction followed by a series of plates, maps and line-art drawings. Sixty-six figures in all, these are all placed up front for ready reference, as many will be useful and referred to again and again throughout the text of the chapters. In addition to these chapters, Magness includes indexes in several different categories. There is an index by Author and Contemporary Historical Figures; there is an index of Scrolls, Biblical Books, Extrabiblical Books, and Historical Figures; and there is an index of Sites and Place Names. These, in addition to the general index, make this a very practical and useful book for ready research. At the conclusion of each chapter, Magness has a narrative bibliography directing the reader/researcher to more broad and in-depth information about the topics discussed. Given the recent publication date, this information makes this text a great ready-reference resource for further Dead Sea Scroll and Qumran research.
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