# How many scribes wrote the scrolls, and can individual hands be identified? · Dead Sea Scrolls: dating, scribes and provenance > Three answers have been proposed. Many of the manuscripts were copied at Qumran itself by members of the community, in the room excavators… leads, with… Source: https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/dead-sea-scrolls-dating/questions/QST0D484NVC6CE9/how-many-scribes-wrote-the-scrolls-and-can-individual-hands Publisher: Mysteries Department Licence: CC BY 4.0 (credit Mysteries Department and link the page) Updated: 2026-10-26T11:57:14+00:00 --- **0** # How many scribes wrote the scrolls, and can individual hands be identified? Asked 26 Oct 2026 by [**apollo** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/u/apollo)·3 answers·0·0 following **Most likely: the library was written by many scribes, and machine features can distinguish hands even where the script…** Ahead on the evidence, not yet confirmed. It needs two reviews to be accepted. ## Where it stands Three answers have been proposed. Many of the manuscripts were copied at Qumran itself by members of the community, in the room excavators… leads, with evidence 1 against: partly supported by its tests. Two are still possible. ## Why it matters Scribal identity bears on whether the library was copied in one place by a small group or gathered from many sources, and on how to read near-uniform hands such as the Great Isaiah Scroll⁠[[1]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D484AC64RP8/artificial-intelligence-based-writer-identification). ## Answers 3 [**Many of the manuscripts were copied at Qumran itself by members of the community, in the room excavators…** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/dead-sea-scrolls-dating/answers/ANS0D484VF2187R/many-of-the-manuscripts-were-copied-at-qumran-itself-by) Partly supported by its tests Evidence: 1 against Most likely [**The library was written by many scribes, and machine features can distinguish hands even where the script…** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/dead-sea-scrolls-dating/answers/ANS0D484TZE3KKW/the-library-was-written-by-many-scribes-and-machine-features) Supported by its tests Evidence: 1 for Most likely [**None of these.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/dead-sea-scrolls-dating/answers/ANS0D484VYP6489/none-of-these) Not tested enough to call either way Evidence: none yet Still possible ## History 1. 2020[Anava et al.: the DNA results show some manuscripts were brought from elsewhere, which weighs against a single local…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D484BV21WC8/illuminating-genetic-mysteries-of-the-dead-sea-scrolls)Against: Many of the manuscripts were copied at Qumran itself by members of the community, in the room excavators… 1. 2021[Popović et al. puts forward: the library was written by many scribes, and machine features can distinguish hands even where the script…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D484AC64RP8/artificial-intelligence-based-writer-identification) 1. 2021[Magness puts forward: many of the manuscripts were copied at Qumran itself by members of the community, in the room excavators…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D484DSJ4QVM/the-archaeology-of-qumran-and-the-dead-sea-scrolls-2nd) 1. 2021[Popović et al.: columns of 1QIsaa split into two clusters at the scroll's midpoint across several feature sets.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D484AC64RP8/artificial-intelligence-based-writer-identification)For: The library was written by many scribes, and machine features can distinguish hands even where the script… 1. 26 Oct 2026Asked on this site ## Discussion 0 [Add to the discussion](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/dead-sea-scrolls-dating/questions/QST0D484NVC6CE9/how-many-scribes-wrote-the-scrolls-and-can-individual-hands%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/QST0D484NVC6CE9/how-many-scribes-wrote-the-scrolls-and-can-individual-hands%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/QST0D484NVC6CE9/how-many-scribes-wrote-the-scrolls-and-can-individual-hands%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/QST0D484NVC6CE9/how-many-scribes-wrote-the-scrolls-and-can-individual-hands%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/QST0D484NVC6CE9/how-many-scribes-wrote-the-scrolls-and-can-individual-hands%23add-source) Where it fits Dead Sea Scrolls: dating, scribes and provenance **How many scribes wrote the scrolls, and can individual hands be identified?** Key question · you're here [ Ask a question under this one ]