Escursioni Bibliche: In Terra Santa

Maaleh Adummim

The road by which one goes from Jerusalem to Jericho is here shown in the vicinity of the Good Samatitan’s Inn, Khan e-Hatrur (cf. Lk 10:30-37).

Remains of a crusader castle which was built to guard the road of Maaleh Adummim (Maldoim, Turris Rubea, or Cisterne Rouge). According to the Notitia Dignitatum 74,48, the Cohors prima salutaria, inter Aeliam et Hierichunta was positioned there.

Qumran

General view from the west of the ruins of Hirbet Qumran. Cave no. 4 is located in the foreground. Qumran is sited 15 km from Jericho and 2 km from the Dead Sea. It is an important archaeological site since very precious manuscripts had been discovered there. The finds give us information about the Essenes . The texts include some biblical books in Hebrew going up to the 2nd and 1st cent. B.C. The most famous of them is the Book of the Prophet Isaia, comprising of all its 66 chapters.

Plan of Qumran after the excavations by R. de Vaux e L. Harding (1949-1956). In blue is shown the complex water system: channels, cisterns, pools and ritual baths or miqwaot.

1. Aqueduct
2. Cistern
3. Other basins
4. Guard Tower

5. "Scriptorium"
6. Kitchen
7. Assembly Hall and Refectory

8. Caves
9. Potters’ Area (vats and kiln)
10. Stables

From the guard tower toward the Scriptorium (writers room). It is in this hall that the benches, which they used for writing the scrolls, have been discovered.

Column bases from the Hellenistic and Roman periods, which are components of the original architectural setting of Qumran.

The cemetery with 1000 tombs situated to the East of the settlement of Qumran.


Pool or water tank originally intended to be used as ritual bath (miqweh).	Kiln for the baking of jars and other types of clay vases.

Museum restoration showing how most of the jars with the Qumran manuscripts were found.
There is no doubt that the manuscripts belong to the sect of the Essenes. Some doubt, however, that not all the manuscript had been composed in Qumran.

Cave 4, where about 4000 scroll fragments have been discovered. Some of the caves nearby (Caves no. 5, 7, 8, 9, 10) are now in worse state than when they were first discovered some 55 years ago.

The rock scarp to the west of Qumran with caves no. 1, 2, 3 e 11.

The settlement of the Essenes was getting their water from Wadi Qumran.