A Dead Sea scroll containing the 81st to the 85th Psalms has been found at the Massada fortress near the Dead Sea where a team of Hebrew University archaeologists are currently excavating the palace of King Herod, it was announced here today by Dr. Yigael Yadin, Israel’s former Chief of Staff, and director of the expedition.
The first Biblical scroll dating from the period of the Second Temple (516 B.C.E. to 70 C. E.), it was found with a second non-Biblical scroll, inside the northwestern wall of the fortress. Professor Yadin said that the script of the scroll is identical with that of the Dead Sea scrolls and will therefore be of great value for their study.
Also found in the fortress during the latest phase of the excavation was a board of 17 silver shekels from the time of the first Jewish revolt around 70 C.E. The coins were inscribed with the words, “Shekel of Israel” and “Jerusalem the Holy.” In other parts of the fortress were vessels, baskets and weapons, several scores of spherical stones used as catapult projectiles and fragments of shields.
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