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Biblical Antiquities :
Archive : Bronze Inkwell from the Scriptorium of Qumran
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Bronze Inkwell from the Scriptorium of Qumran - X.0500
Origin: Qumran, Israel
Circa: 100
BC
to 68
AD
Dimensions:
2.25" (5.7cm) high
x 2.25" (5.7cm) wide
Collection: Biblical
Style: Roman Period
Medium: Bronze
Additional Information: SOLD
Location: United States
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| Description |
In 1947, a young Bedouin shepherd tending to his flock wondered along the rocky, rugged cliff face along the upper northwest banks of the Dead Sea. For one reason or another, the boy entered one of the numerous caves that dot the cliffs. Inside, he found various clay jars containing what appeared to be pages. These initial finds were shopped around on the art market until one scholar realized their true significance. These original texts, as well as subsequent finds, are collectively known as the Dead Sea Scrolls and today, they constitute one of the most important and mysterious archaeological finds of the 20th Century.
The scrolls appear to have been the library of a Jewish sect that were hidden away in caves around the outbreak of the war against Rome (around 66 A.D.) Numbering over eight hundred different volumes (some represented just by fragments), the scrolls were written on materials such as parchment, papyrus, leather, and thin sheets of copper in languages including Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. Among the texts, there are three distinct types of materials: copies of Old Testament scriptures (the largest percentage), commentaries on the scriptures that provide alternate interpretations of the Biblical stories, and finally other writings that detail the daily lives, laws, and philosophies of the people who presumably wrote the scrolls. Together, the scrolls represent the largest and oldest body of manuscripts relating to the Old Testament and to the time of Christ, giving modern scholars valuable insight into the state of religion during the life of Jesus.
Although much information has been ascertained during further archaeological excavations and scholarly research conducted over the last fifty years, including the important excavations of the ruins at Qumran, these scrolls still remain an enigma. Who wrote the scrolls? Was it the communal Essene sect as is traditionally assumed? Or could it have been another sect such as the Sadduceans? Perhaps the scrolls are not the work of one desert dwelling fringe sect, but were instead written by many different groups of Jews and then smuggled out of Jerusalem’s libraries before the Roman army invaded and stored in the caves around the Dead Sea (as well as other sites including Qumran and Massada) for safety?
The archaeological site of Qumran, which was excavated during the fervor that followed the discovery of the Scrolls, is itself a mystery. The traditional view, originally propagated by Pere Roland de Vaux, a French Dominican monk, who first excavated the site, holds that it was an isolated monastery of the celibate Essene sect. The Essenes were a reformist, apocalyptic group that separated themselves from society as a whole and defined themselves against the worldliness of the Temple in Jerusalem. Some scholars even intimate that Christ himself was an Essene. Here in Qumran, the Essenes lived out their days, caring for the pious community and copying their sacred texts. Some archaeological finds support this theory, including the discovery of a long assembly hall believed to be a scriptorium.
The attribution of this particular room as a scriptorium was based on the discovery of a writing table as well as terracotta and bronze inkwells (such as this gorgeous example). Numerous other structures were identified in the complex of buildings, including an eating room, a laundry room, a guard tower, a stable, and various workshops. Despite the fact that Qumran was clearly a self sufficient community, there were no sleeping chambers found. Further archaeological evidence suggests that the site was occupied at various times throughout antiquity. Walls and pottery dated from the Iron Age II Period (8th-7th Century B.C.) were excavated and it appears that a cistern dating from this period was cleared out around 130 B.C. by new inhabitants.
Did the Essene community live in Qumran when the scrolls were deposited? Or might it have been another sect? Perhaps Qumran was not a monastery at all but was a fortress used by rebellious Israelis fighting against the Roman invaders? Some scholars suggest it might have simply been a winter villa for a wealthy inhabitant of Jerusalem. While these questions are continually debated by scholars, it does appear that there was a serious earthquake nearby in 31 B.C. and the site was abandoned. Although Qumran was built up again during the reign of King Herod Archelaus (4 B.C.-6 A.D.), it was subsequently destroyed by the Romans in 68 A.D. A Roman garrison was stationed there during the Bar Kochba Revolt (132-135 A.D.); however, this garrison was later relocated and Qumran was abandoned for good.
While multiple terracotta inkwells were unearthed in Qumran, there are only three known examples in bronze (including this one). The inkwell features two basket handles attached to the rim on hinges that allow the handles to lay flat against the rim when the well was not being carried. The convex top has been decorated with simple incised concentric rings leading towards the central hole into which the ink would have been poured and the stylus dipped. In fact, there is still dried residue of the original ink inside the inkwell. Similar decorations adorn the outside of the body as well. Clearly the artist sought to create a work that was foremost functional and not adorned with elaborate motifs. Such an aesthetic philosophy would surely have been in line with the beliefs of reformist sects like the Essenes. Today, a fabulous green patina colors the bronze, most of which has been covered with encrusted earthen materials, both a testament to the age of this fascinating piece.
- (X.0500)
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