Description of the attraction
The Qumran reserve is located on the northwestern shore of the Dead Sea, where in the middle of the twentieth century, archaeologists found ancient biblical scrolls that had been lying in hard-to-reach caves for two thousand years. This find caused a sensation in the scientific world and influenced the study of the history of Judaism and Christianity.
Tourists can see the ruins of an ancient settlement from the era of the Second Temple (about 130 BC): a round drainage cistern, next to which two rectangular reservoirs and living quarters were built, as well as two kilns for burning ceramics. Somewhat later (about 100 BC) the area of the settlement was expanded: two- and three-story buildings were erected and a complex system of reservoirs connected by canals was created. Water flowed through an aqueduct from Wadi Qumran, where a dam was built to retain water during the winter rains. No bedrooms were found among the buildings; these, apparently, were the nearby caves and tents.
