The results of the LLM analysis show that several of the scrolls might actually be much older than what is assumed.
In a recent development, AI has been deployed to date the Dead Sea Scrolls with astounding accuracy, radically challenging misconceptions regarding their age and the historical timelines they fall under.
The results show that several of the Scrolls might actually be much older than what is assumed, and in some cases, could be from the era of the biblical figures that supposedly wrote them.Pioneered by the University of Groningen, this multidisciplinary work merges radiocarbon dating, ancient handwriting analysis, and machine learning.The outcome is Enoch, the first AI system that can derive probabilistic dates from the script of Hebrew and Aramaic manuscripts, providing estimates based solely on the script’s stylistic elements.“With the Enoch tool we have opened a new door into the ancient world, like a time machine, that allows us to study the hands that wrote the Bible, especially now that we have established, for the first time, that two biblical scroll fragments come from the time of their presumed authors,” say the authors.The problem with traditional datingThe Dead Sea Scrolls are typically recognized as having been composed in the 3rd century BCE to the 2nd century CE. While these are the general estimates, dates for individual scrolls still seem to pose problems.For this purpose, the researchers collected new radiocarbon dates from 24 scroll samples. This real data anchored the researchers’ machine learning model within concrete timelines, thus filling a significant void in the assumed chronological framework.The goal was to train Enoch using the BiNet. BiNet is a neural network that not only analyzes scanned images of the scrolls, but extracts features such as the curvature of ink strokes and the shapes of letters.The model’s predictions were validated against the radiocarbon data, showing an uncertainty margin of about ±30 years—narrower than that of radiocarbon dating alone for texts from 300–50 BCE.Key revelations and broader impactThe team dated 135 scroll manuscripts using Enoch. In many instances, the AI model validated prior scholarly estimates. But in some cases, it contested them.Most strikingly, Enoch dated two biblical scroll fragments to the periods traditionally associated with their authors, which is a first in Dead Sea Scroll research. It also found that Hasmonaean-type script appears earlier than the commonly accepted 150-50 BCE date range, and that Herodian script emerged earlier than previously believed, suggesting these styles coexisted from the late second century BCE.These findings are critical to early Judaism and Christianity studies. Scholars can now better connect the scrolls with pivotal historical events, such as the emerging Hasmonaean dynasty and the development of new religious movements, due to refined timelines provided by the scrolls.“It is very exciting to set a significant step into solving the dating problem of the Dead Sea Scrolls and also creating a new tool that could be used to study other partially dated manuscript collections from history. This would not have been possible without the collaboration between so many different scientific disciplines,” conclude the authors.The study has been published in the journal PLOS One.
Anthropology Applied Sciences And Engineering Archaeology Artificial Intelligence Bible Cultural Anthropology Dead Sea Scrolls Imaging Radiometric Dating Social Sciences
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Marine Mammal Care Center gets more funding amid unprecedented number of sick, dead sea lionsThe nonprofit said it's cared for 410 marine mammals, including sick sea lions, so far in 2025.
Read more »
Mysterious substance spotted swirling across the surface of the Baltic Sea — Earth from spaceHarry is a U.K.-based senior staff writer at Live Science. He studied marine biology at the University of Exeter before training to become a journalist. He covers a wide range of topics including space exploration, planetary science, space weather, climate change, animal behavior and paleontology.
Read more »
Scars of the sea: World’s first deep-sea mining still haunts the ocean floorThe Blake Plateau bears the scars of an experiment carried out over 50 years ago—the world’s first pilot test of deep-sea mining.
Read more »
New Footage Shows Mysterious Deep-Sea Anemone 3 Miles Below the SurfaceOceanic researchers used time-lapse to discover the hidden life of a tunneling predatory anemone that hunts prey 15 times its size.
Read more »
Josh Hartnett Fights a Sea Creature in Mysterious New Netflix ShowJosh Hartnett is set to star in an upcoming limited series from Netflix, which sees the actor battling a sea creature.
Read more »
Beloved gay porn star, Colton Ford, found dead at 62 after mysterious hiking accidentToday's Video Headlines: 05/23/25
Read more »