Archaeologists Discover 12th Dead Sea Cave

A 12th cave associated with the Dead Sea Scrolls has recently been discovered by scholars. It contained yet another scroll and manuscripts from the early days of Judaism and Christianity.

Scientists were said to have retrieved over 800 documents from 11 caves. Mirror Daily noted that most of the documents found were of papyrus, but there were a significant number made of forged copper and animal skin. Carbon dating also revealed the documents to be at least 2,000 years old, making them particularly invaluable as they can help broaden humanity's understanding of the Bible.

National Geographic reported that the Israeli team that found the cave also found storage jars that had been hidden in places cut into cave walls. However, they were either broken or have had their contents removed. The cave has not been totally emptied out, though. Leather scroll ties, textiles for scroll wrapping and a pair of rusty pickaxes from the 1950s were taken to be signs of the cave being looted some decades ago.

A manuscript found in a jar, however, is currently being translated. But other than that, there is little that researchers know about the cave. There was no way of telling what was stolen and when. But if they will take into account the fact that the cave is similar to the others, scientists assume that it may have contained at some point some of the Dead Sea scrolls.

Other things found in the cave include pieces of parchment with no writing on it -- materials that are now considered a hot commodity, especially to looters who sell them at high prices. Randall Price of the Liberty University said these material have been supplied by looters who have been aggressively targeting Dead Sea caves in the past few years. The Israel Antiquities Authority has apprehended a growing number of such hunters attempting to enter the caves, usually at night.