The Dead Sea Scrolls: A Very Short Introduction by Timothy H. Lim

Author:Timothy H. Lim
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780191084966
Publisher: OUP Oxford
Published: 2016-12-28T05:00:00+00:00

Alternative theories

There have been in the past, and continue to be in the present, dissenting voices. Recent alternative hypotheses that have been put forward include the suggestions that Khirbet Qumran was not a monastic centre but a commercial entrepôt, a villa rustica, a fortress, a country estate, country house/Essene centre, or a pottery factory. Each one of these theories has been criticized by Magen Broshi, curator emeritus of the Shrine of the Book, and more recently by Eric Meyers, professor emeritus at Duke University.

Broshi, a supporter of the Qumran-Essene hypothesis, pointed out that Qumran could not have been a trade centre because it did not lie on a major route; it was not built as a luxurious villa as it did not have any mosaic floors or other internal decorations; it could not have been a fortress because its walls were too narrow and its entrances were unguarded; it could not have been a country farm because it lacked the amenities of comparable farm houses; and the continuity of occupation between Periods I and II suggests that it could not have been a country house before being taken over by the Essenes.

Meyers likewise criticized the alternative theories; although, he recognized the contribution of dissenting views. In particular, he noted that Norman Golb has forced scholars to re-assess the historical circumstances that led to the hiding of the scrolls in caves near Khirbet Qumran. The ‘Jerusalem hypothesis’ challenged the Essene hypothesis that ties the production of the scrolls to the archaeological site. According to Golb, the scrolls came from libraries in Jerusalem and had nothing to do with Khirbet Qumran, which he regarded as a fortress.

Although the Qumran-Essene theory can be disputed, it does not mean that it is wrong. In fact, most scholars still hold onto some form of this hypothesis with modifications, large and small. A recent contribution to the debate by archaeologists has highlighted the context of Khirbet Qumran, suggesting that the site should not be seen in isolation of its region. Qumran was not a secluded outcrop, but was an integral part of the Judaean wilderness and its network of trading and economic activities. But, as John Collins, rightly pointed out, ‘regional contacts do not rule out the possibility of a sectarian settlement’. In Chapter 9, I will describe the Qumran-Essene theory and the modifications suggested by a consideration of the different versions of the rule texts.

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