Israeli researchers at Tel Aviv University have developed a groundbreaking computer tool to aid in the study of the Dead Sea Scrolls, the 2,000-year-old Hebrew manuscripts discovered in caves near the Dead Sea in 1947. One of the greatest challenges in scroll research has been comparing handwriting across thousands of fragments, a puzzle that has baffled scholars for decades. The new system combines multispectral imaging with advanced computer vision to analyze fragile parchments and identify differences in ink and material that are invisible to the naked eye. Tested on roughly 20 fragments so far, the tool is already helping scholars uncover details that could lead to a deeper understanding of the scrolls’ origins and context.

Because of their fragility, access to the Dead Sea Scrolls is limited, with the Israel Antiquities Authority carefully preserving them through detailed imaging techniques. The new technology builds on this foundation, allowing researchers to focus simultaneously on the parchment and the writing, with the potential to detect even single letters that have gone unseen for centuries. The project comes at a time of renewed interest in the Judean Desert, where archeologists recently uncovered an “extremely rare” ancient Aramaic inscription, offering fresh insight into the biblical era. Together, these discoveries highlight how modern technology is shedding light on some of history’s most treasured and mysterious texts.

SOURCE: All Israel News