QuestionsDead Sea Scrolls: dating, scribes and provenanceIs the traditional palaeographic chronology of the scrolls broadly right, or are many manuscripts substantially older?Answer
Answer · Dead Sea Scrolls: dating, scribes and provenance
Many manuscripts are older than the palaeographic chronology says, often by decades and sometimes by a…
Many manuscripts are older than the palaeographic chronology says, often by decades and sometimes by a century, and the chronology needs rebuilding.
Where it stands
Most likelyIts tests partly supported it: three pieces of evidence for, none against. It needs two reviews to be accepted.
What it predicts
- Newly radiocarbon-dated manuscripts, cleaned for castor oil, fall earlier than their palaeographic dates more often than later.
- Blind palaeographic dates show a systematic late bias against radiocarbon.
What would rule it out
- A large new radiocarbon series with modern cleaning centres on the palaeographic dates with no early skew.
Evidence 3 for · none against
The questions it answers
Most likelyMany manuscripts are older than the palaeographic chronology says, often by decades and sometimes by a…
Cite it
Mysteries Department. (2026). Many manuscripts are older than the palaeographic chronology says, often by decades and sometimes by a… [Answer ANS0D484PJT091H]. https://mysteriesdept.com/r/ANS0D484PJT091H
@misc{mysteriesdept_ans0d484pjt091h,
title = {Many manuscripts are older than the palaeographic chronology says, often by decades and sometimes by a…},
author = {{Mysteries Department}},
year = {2026},
note = {Answer, catalog key ANS0D484PJT091H},
url = {https://mysteriesdept.com/r/ANS0D484PJT091H}
}