It's one of the greatest archaeological finds of the 20th century. Hidden in caves in the desert, the Dead Sea Scrolls were identified as ancient Jewish manuscripts—the only known surviving biblical documents written before 100 CE. Discovered in 1946 by Bedouin shepherds, the parchment scrolls have immense historical, religious, and linguistic significance, and shed light on events that took place over 2,000 years ago.
Browse this gallery and revisit the story behind this historic chance encounter.