# Is the traditional palaeographic chronology of the scrolls broadly right, or are many manuscripts substantially older? · Dead Sea Scrolls: dating, scribes and provenance > Four answers have been proposed. Many manuscripts are older than the palaeographic chronology says, often by decades and sometimes by a… leads, with… Source: https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/dead-sea-scrolls-dating/questions/QST0D484NBR24P2/is-the-traditional-palaeographic-chronology-of-the-scrolls Publisher: Mysteries Department Licence: CC BY 4.0 (credit Mysteries Department and link the page) Updated: 2026-10-26T11:57:14+00:00 --- **0** # Is the traditional palaeographic chronology of the scrolls broadly right, or are many manuscripts substantially older? Asked 26 Oct 2026 by [**apollo** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/u/apollo)·4 answers·0·0 following **Most likely: many manuscripts are older than the palaeographic chronology says, often by decades and sometimes by a…** Ahead on the evidence, not yet confirmed. It needs two reviews to be accepted. ## Where it stands Four answers have been proposed. Many manuscripts are older than the palaeographic chronology says, often by decades and sometimes by a… leads, with evidence 3 for: partly supported by its tests. Three are still possible. Of the one narrower question under it, none is answered yet. ## Why it matters Most scrolls are dated only by handwriting. If they are a century older than thought, the dates of composition for books such as Daniel and Ecclesiastes, and the history of the sect, move with them⁠[[1]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D4849MR4G48/dating-ancient-manuscripts-using-radiocarbon-and-ai-based). ## Answers 4 [**Many manuscripts are older than the palaeographic chronology says, often by decades and sometimes by a…** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/dead-sea-scrolls-dating/answers/ANS0D484PJT091H/many-manuscripts-are-older-than-the-palaeographic-chronology) Partly supported by its tests Evidence: 3 for Most likely [**The palaeographic chronology is broadly right; differences from the 2025 dates fall within the combined…** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/dead-sea-scrolls-dating/answers/ANS0D484QJ216BX/the-palaeographic-chronology-is-broadly-right-differences) Partly supported by its tests Evidence: 2 for Most likely [**Key sectarian manuscripts are later than the consensus, into the first century AD.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/dead-sea-scrolls-dating/answers/ANS0D484R9G6ND6/key-sectarian-manuscripts-are-later-than-the-consensus-into) Failed a test; not refuted outright Evidence: 1 against Disputed [**None of these.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/dead-sea-scrolls-dating/answers/ANS0D484RS46AFS/none-of-these) Not tested enough to call either way Evidence: none yet Still possible ## History 1. 1992[Bonani et al. puts forward: the palaeographic chronology is broadly right; differences from the 2025 dates fall within the combined…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D484AM03SE1/radiocarbon-dating-of-fourteen-dead-sea-scrolls) 1. 1995[Jull et al.: the 1990s radiocarbon series broadly agreed with the palaeographic sequence.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D484AVT58YE/radiocarbon-dating-of-scrolls-and-linen-fragments-from-the)For: The palaeographic chronology is broadly right; differences from the 2025 dates fall within the combined… 1. 2001[Rasmussen et al.: castor oil left by 1950s conservation can make earlier radiocarbon dates too young.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D484B3M1R74/the-effects-of-possible-contamination-on-the-radiocarbon)For: Many manuscripts are older than the palaeographic chronology says, often by decades and sometimes by a… 1. 2004[Braunheim et al. puts forward: key sectarian manuscripts are later than the consensus, into the first century AD.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D484BBE78QG/redating-the-radiocarbon-dating-of-the-dead-sea-scrolls) 1. 2007[van der Plicht: a re-examination of the calibrations found they do not support the later chronology.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D484BK803AP/radiocarbon-dating-and-the-dead-sea-scrolls-a-comment-on)Against: Key sectarian manuscripts are later than the consensus, into the first century AD. 1. 2025[Popović et al. puts forward: many manuscripts are older than the palaeographic chronology says, often by decades and sometimes by a…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D4849MR4G48/dating-ancient-manuscripts-using-radiocarbon-and-ai-based) 1. 2025[Popović et al.: the 2025 radiocarbon ranges and Enoch predictions are often older than traditional palaeographic estimates.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D4849MR4G48/dating-ancient-manuscripts-using-radiocarbon-and-ai-based)For: Many manuscripts are older than the palaeographic chronology says, often by decades and sometimes by a… 1. 2025[Silva: enoch was trained on only 24 dated manuscripts, which a reviewer argued is too few to overturn palaeography.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D484CTA4XVX/revisitando-a-datacao-do-livro-de-daniel-uma-abordagem)For: The palaeographic chronology is broadly right; differences from the 2025 dates fall within the combined… 1. 26 Oct 2026Asked on this site ## Discussion 0 [Add to the discussion](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/dead-sea-scrolls-dating/questions/QST0D484NBR24P2/is-the-traditional-palaeographic-chronology-of-the-scrolls%23discussion) Help with this question [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ] [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/dead-sea-scrolls-dating/questions/QST0D484NBR24P2/is-the-traditional-palaeographic-chronology-of-the-scrolls%23add-answer) [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ] [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/dead-sea-scrolls-dating/questions/QST0D484NBR24P2/is-the-traditional-palaeographic-chronology-of-the-scrolls%23add-evidence) [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ] [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/dead-sea-scrolls-dating/questions/QST0D484NBR24P2/is-the-traditional-palaeographic-chronology-of-the-scrolls%23add-question) [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ] [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/dead-sea-scrolls-dating/questions/QST0D484NBR24P2/is-the-traditional-palaeographic-chronology-of-the-scrolls%23add-source) Where it fits Dead Sea Scrolls: dating, scribes and provenance **Is the traditional palaeographic chronology of the scrolls broadly right, or are many manuscripts substantially older?** Key question · you're here [Can the Enoch model date undated manuscripts reliably from handwriting alone?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/dead-sea-scrolls-dating/questions/QST0D484NKJ0HV2/can-the-enoch-model-date-undated-manuscripts-reliably-from)Most likely · enoch dates manuscripts to within about 30 years, comparable to radiocarbon, and can replace palaeographic… [ Ask a question under this one ]