Digital tools for Improving the Editions of Cryptic Scrolls from

Qumran

EVA/ Minerva conference 10.11.14

Jonathan Ben-Dov, University of Haifa

Israel Science Foundation, grant number 1330/14

Digital tools for Improving the Editions of Cryptic Scrolls from Qumran

The project is carried out with the following partners: Nachum Derschowitz and Lior Wolff (Tel-Aviv University), Daniel Stoekl Ben-Ezra (EPHE, Paris), and the graduate student Asaf Gayer (Haifa).

Cryptic A - The alphabet

Source: S.J. Pfann, “The Mount Zion Inscribed Stone Cup: Preliminary Observations”, New Studies in the Archaeology of Jerusalem and its Region IV (2010), *44-*53

The Editorial Team

Josef T. Milik

From the Website (www. Dead Sea Scrolls.org.il): The imaging technology used in this project is an innovative MegaVision product that enables the digital imaging of every Scroll fragment in various wavelengths and in the highest resolution possible. This will allow long term monitoring for preservation purposes in a non-invasive and precise manner. The images are equal in quality to the actual physical Imaging a plate in three visible wavelengths in the IAA studio viewing of the Scrolls, thus eliminating the need for their repeated exposure and allowing their preservation for future generations. The technology also helps recover traces of writing that have faded to invisibility over the years, with the help of near-infrared wavelengths.

Leon Levy Library Video

2013 1956

Cryptic A manuscripts:

• Parchment: - 4Q298 – “Words of the Maskil”

- 4Q317 – “Lunisolar Calendar”

- 4Q324d-I 4QCryptic A Liturgical Calendar – Mishmarot

• Papyri: - 4Q249 – Midrash Sefer Moshe

- 4Q249a-z (a-i – Serekh Ha’Edah)

- 4Q250

Texts in Cryptic A script 4Q249 pap Midrash/Sepher Moshe

Texts in Cryptic A script

Serekh ha-’Edah

et al.

(in DJD 4Q249a-z)

Parts of 4Q249a-i

(Inv. Plate 590)

courtesy

Israel Antiquities

Authority

Texts in Cryptic A script

4Q250 pap Identified? Including “Text containing Cultic Service”, “Text with Relation to Isa 11”. (in DJD 4Q250a-j)

Writing on horizontal fibers

Writing on vertical fibers (4Q250)

Texts in Cryptic A script 4Q298 “Words of the Maskil to All the Sons of

Dawn”

4Q324c-g Calendrical

Texts / Mishmarot

Texts in Cryptic A script 4Q317 “Phases of the Moon” / Liturgical Calendar”

PALIMPSEST: 4Q249 frgs 3, 10

www.deadseascrolls.org.il

Famous Palimpsests

• Archimedes Palimpsest Video

•Latin Jubilees

•)Ambrosiana(

Sorting fragments and reconstructing manuscripts:

Milik’s reconstruction of 4Q249

Pfann’s division of 4Q249

Serekh ha-Edah

4Q249e 1 ii = 1QSa I 24-26 4Q249e 1 i = 1QSa I

[ולשופטים למספר] ם [לשרי] ה [העד] 24 1

[ותם על פי ני צדוק הכוהנים] ̇ ̇צ̇ ̇ל̇וכ 2

[שי ות העדה ו ם תעודה תהיה̇]ר וכול 25 3

[לעצת יחד ו 26 קהל למשפט ו]לכול ה 4

[ודת מלחמה וקדשום שלושת ימים להיות]ע [לת] 5

זה ט [מוע 18 1

[להתיצ 20 4

: שוליים

ומ

Serekh ha-Edah

4Q249e 1 ii = 1QSa I 24-26?

הפרוייקטמטרות

קרי ות חדשות מצעות התמונות המשופרות•

חלוקה מחודשת של כל הקטעים לכתבי היד • המקוריים

מהדורה חדשה של כל הקטעים כת סתרים•

Algorithmic Analyses (applied by Dershowitz and Wolff to Genizah fragments)

• Register (combine multiple images)

• Binarize (separate text from background)

• Cluster (match similar letters)

• Classify (match styles)

• Match (match handwriting)

• Position (use texture and shape to position)

23

IAA

40.974 + 40.633 43.410

Binarize: 4Q249

Slides courtesy N. Dershowitz

Crop and Papyrus Texture Map

Cropped Texture map

Edge Detection

Magnitude and Direction

Directed Ridge Detection

Zoomed

Detected Ridges (Zoom-In(

Puzzling

Part II Unique Problems of DSS Research

1. Locating old and new photos

2. Matching old and New Photos

3. Copyright

Availability of fragments

Availability of fragments

PAM 40.633 PAM 43.410 IAA

Copyright and Open Access Publication