Cave of Horror

Coordinates: 31°25′48″N 35°20′52″E / 31.43000°N 35.34778°E / 31.43000; 35.34778
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Cave of Horror, 1953
Cave of Horror
Map showing the location of Cave of Horror
Map showing the location of Cave of Horror
LocationEin Gedi, Israel
Coordinates31°25′48″N 35°20′52″E / 31.43000°N 35.34778°E / 31.43000; 35.34778

Cave of Horror (

Jewish refugees from the Bar Kokhba revolt (c. 132–136 AD) were found.[2]

Location

The cave lies in the cliffs towering from the south over the wadi known in Hebrew as Nahal Hever.[3] Nearby, in the cliffs on the opposite side of the stream, is the Cave of Letters, where many documents from the Bar Kokhba revolt were uncovered.[3]

Discoveries

Bar Kokhba revolt

At the top of the cliff above the Cave of Horror were the ruins of a Roman camp, similar to the one found above the Cave of Letters.

The skeletons of 40 men, women and children were discovered inside. Of the 40 dead the names of three are known, since inscribed potsherds (

ostraca) bearing their names were found placed on their remains.[1]

In investigations following the first one by Yadin, a number of fragments of letters and writings were discovered in the cave, among them a number of

Masoretic text commonly used today.[6] No scroll fragments had been discovered by archaeologists in the previous approximately 60 years.[6]

Chalcolithic child burial

The partially mummified 6000-year-old remains of a child, probably a girl aged between 6 and 12, were found in March 2021 under two flat stones in a shallow pit grave with the help of CT (CAT) scan. The burial dates to the Chalcolithic period. The child had been buried in a fetal position and covered with a cloth resembling a small blanket, wrapped around its head and chest, but not its feet.[6] According to the Israel Antiquities Authority the burial was found along with 2,000-year-old Dead Sea scrolls. Fragments were Greek translations of the books of Nahum and Zechariah from the Book of the 12 Minor Prophets. The only text written in Hebrew was the name of God.[7][8][9][10]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Learn About the Scrolls: Bar Kokhba Revolt Refuge Caves: Nahal Hever Cave 8 (8Hev)". Israel Antiquities Authority: The Leon Levy Dead Sea Scrolls Digital Library. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  2. ^ "Judean Desert Caves". Jewish Virtual Library.
  3. ^ .
  4. .
  5. ^ a b "Featured Scrolls". Israel Antiquities Authority: The Leon Levy Dead Sea Scrolls Digital Library. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  6. ^ a b c d "New scroll fragments uncovered in the Judean Desert Nature Reserve (Communicated by the IAA Spokesperson)". Jerusalem: Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 16 March 2021. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  7. ^ Bhardwaj, Naina. "6,000-year-old child skeleton found in Israel's 'Cave of Horrors' along with ancient Dead Sea scrolls and world's oldest basket". Business Insider. Retrieved 2021-03-29.
  8. ^ "Israeli researchers announce discovery of new Dead Sea Scroll fragments". The Independent. 2021-03-16. Retrieved 2021-03-29.
  9. ^ "Ancient child's skeleton found in Israel's 'Cave of Horrors'". South China Morning Post. 2021-03-22. Retrieved 2021-03-29.
  10. ^ "6,000-year-old child skeleton discovered in Israel". Daily Sabah. Associated Press. 2021-03-22. Retrieved 2021-03-29.

Further reading

  • Y. Yadin, The Search for Bar Kokhba - The Discovery of the Judean Desert Caves and the Letters of the Leader of the Revolt against Rome, Maariv, 1976