The Dead Sea Scrolls are ancient Jewish and Hebrew religious manuscripts discovered between 1947 and 1956 in the Qumran Caves near the Dead Sea, hence their name. Here's a brief overview of what we know about them: 1. Discovery: The first scrolls were found by Bedouin shepherds in 1947 in caves near the northwestern shore of the Dead Sea. 2. Age: Most of the scrolls date from between the 3rd century BCE and the 1st century CE. 3. Content: They contain biblical texts (the oldest known surviving copies of books from the Hebrew Bible), as well as non-biblical religious texts and sectarian documents. 4. Languages: Most are written in Hebrew, with some in Aramaic and a few in Greek. 5. Significance: They provide invaluable insights into the history of Judaism, the development of the Hebrew Bible, and the origins of Christianity. 6. Authorship: Many scholars believe they were written by a Jewish sect called the Essenes, though this is still debated. 7. Preservation: The dry climate of the Dead Sea region helped preserve the scrolls for nearly two millennia. 8. Study and publication: It took decades to fully publish the contents of the scrolls, with the last of them being published in the early 2000s. 9. Controversy: There have been disputes over their ownership, access for study, and interpretation. 10. Current location: Many of the scrolls are now housed in the Shrine of the Book at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. The Dead Sea Scrolls continue to be a subject of intense scholarly research and debate, providing crucial information about the religious and cultural context of ancient Judaism and early Christianity.