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These items were on display in the exhibit at the Library of Congress, May - August 1993. Images of these objects are not included in the online version of the exhibit, but these exhibit captions are included to provide some additional background on the scholarly work surrounding the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Qumran Community, and its Library.
J. A. Sanders published his findings on the Psalms Scroll first in 1965, as the fourth volume of "Discoveries in the Judaean Desert," the official publication series. This is a later version published in the United States.
J. A. Sanders
The Dead Sea Psalms Scroll (Ithaca, 1967)
Printed book
General Collections, Library of Congress (185)
Hand-written books of the Bible were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls. This Psalter is the first book of the Bible printed in Hebrew. This edition of the Psalms includes the commentary of David Kimhi and was printed in 1477, probably in Bologna. The commentary on the Psalms was heavily censored by Church authorities. The owner of the book, however, inserted by hand each word that had been expunged.
Psalms (Bologna, 1477)
Printed book
Hebraic Section, African and Middle Eastern Division, Library of
Congress (190)
Until the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1947, the Aleppo Codex, which dates to the tenth century C.E., was the oldest known Bible codex. This facsimile was published in 1976.
Aleppo Codex (Jerusalem, 1976)
Printed book
Hebraic Section, African and Middle Eastern Division, Library of
Congress (117)
This is the earliest of the great polyglot editions of the Bible and includes texts in Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek, and Latin. Produced under the patronage of Cardinal Francisco Ximenes de Cisneros (1436-1517), it was believed to have cost 50,000 gold ducats. Psalm 145 is a hymn arranged according to the letters of the Hebrew alphabet. It is interesting to note that today's biblical text does not include a verse for the letter "nun," the fourteenth letter of the alphabet. The fragment of the Psalm Scroll displayed here does include a missing verse for this letter.
Psalms [Complutensian] (1514-1517)
Printed polyglot bible
Rare Book and Special Collections Division, Library of Congress
(177)
In 1838-1839, Scottish artist David Roberts (1796-1864) traveled through the Near East, bringing home 300 sketches of monuments and landscapes that he encountered on his journey. His drawings were reproduced in six volumes between 1842-1849.
Shown here is his rendering of "The Dead Sea Looking Towards Moab." In the foreground--carved into the rocky cliff--is the monastery of St. Saba.
David Roberts
"Dead Sea Looking Towards Moab, April 4, 1839"
The Holy Land (London, 1842-1849)
Lithograph with hand-coloring
Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress (163)
This map is the lower of two plates depicting Jerusalem. The Temple of Solomon, located at the top of the map, includes illustrations of the High Priest at the altar. The Ark of the Covenant is located in the Holy of Holies (the innermost chamber of the Temple), with God's spirit, the "Shekhinah," emanating from the ark and represented by the Tetragrammaton, the four- letter divine name.
Georg Braun and Franz Hogenberg
"Jerusalem"
Civitates Orbis Terrarum (Cologne, 1612)
Printed book, hand-colored etching
Geography and Map Division, Library of Congress (168)
This hand-colored map of the Holy Land (Terra Sancta) features an enlarged depiction of the Dead Sea. On the lower left of the map is a rendering of the story of Jonah and the whale.
Abraham Ortelius
"Terra Sancta"
Theatrum Orbis Terrarum (London, 1606)
Printed book
Geography and Map Division, Library of Congress (167)
Claudius Ptolemy (90-168 C.E.) was the preeminent geographer of the ancient world. Shown here is a hand-colored map of the Holy Land from a 1482 Ptolemaic atlas. The territories of the twelve tribes of Israel are clearly marked throughout.
Claudius Ptolemaeus
Cosmographia (Ulm, 1486)
Printed book, hand-colored woodcut
Geography and Map Division, Library of Congress (166)
This aerial perspective of the Holy Land reflects a nineteenth- century trend in American mapmaking which featured "bird's-eye" views prepared for towns and cities across the nation. Published in New York, the rendering of the Holy Land indicates the intense American interest in this part of the world.
A. J. Marks
Bird's Eye View of the Holy Land (New York, 1879)
Chromolithograph, sectional map in 6 parts
Geography and Map Division, Library of Congress (169)