Where AI, the sciences, and the humanities converge: Innovation in manuscript research on the Dead Sea Scrolls

The lecture focuses on the famous Dead Sea Scrolls and the people who wrote and copied them. The discovery of the scrolls in eleven caves near the site of Qumran on the north-western shore of the Dead Sea along with other sites in the Judaean Desert has fundamentally transformed our knowledge of Jewish and Christian origins. The scrolls’ importance can hardly be overstated. They provide a unique vantage point for studying the dynamic and creative engagement with authoritative scriptures that were to become the Bible, not only because they are the oldest known biblical manuscripts but also because of the presence of a large number of so-called non-biblical texts in the collection. The scrolls offer evidence for a scribal culture ‘in action’. Palaeography can provide access to this scribal culture, showing the human hand behind what came to be regarded as holy texts. Central questions include: who wrote these manuscripts, and when were they written? Particular attention will be given to recent developments in which diverse methods from artificial intelligence, the sciences, and the humanities are employed to address these questions. The resulting insights shed new light on the scrolls and offer fresh perspectives on the history of the eastern Mediterranean region during the Greco-Roman period (4th century BCE to 2nd century CE).

MLADEN POPOVIĆ | Hebrew Bible and Ancient Judaism Faculty of Religion, Culture and Society University of Groningen

Cycle of Seminars: Conservation and Transformation in Ethics and Religion

Scientific coordination: Massimo Leone, FBK-ISR

The event will be held in English.

The presentation will take place in presence in the Aula Piccola FBK while places are available and online.

Registration is mandatory by 8 December 2025 at 12 noon.