Dead Sea Scrolls at risk from looters; Israel undertakes comprehensive excavation to save historic Dead Sea Scrolls

The Israeli Antiquities Authority (IAA) has announced comprehensive archaeological excavations in the Judean Desert caves to rescue Dead Sea Scrolls from being lost to looters.

"The goal of the national plan that we are advancing is to excavate and find all of the scrolls that remain in the caves, once and for all, so that they will be rescued and preserved by the state," said IAA's Director-General Israel Hasson.

Hasson referred to the Dead Sea Scrolls as having "religious, political and historical importance to Jews, Christians and all of humanity".

He also indicated that the Judean Desert caves have been "excavated illicitly and plundered" for the past years.

The IAA has reported on its website that the project, described as complicated and extraordinary, has already begun in Nahal Tse'elim. Archaeologists Dr. Eitan Klein, Dr. Uri Davidovich, Royee Porat, and Amir Ganor are directing the excavation together with a team from the IAA's Unit for the Prevention of Antiquities Robbery, researchers from the Institute of Archaeology of The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and hundreds of volunteers from all over the country. The IAA has also partnered with the Heritage Project in the Ministry of Jerusalem Affairs and the Minister of Culture and Sport for the said project.

"The excavation in Nahal Tse'elim is an operation of extraordinary complexity and scope, and one that has not occurred in the Judean Desert in the past thirty years," said Amir Ganor, director of the IAA's Unit for the Prevention of Antiquities Robbery.

According to the report, the excavation is currently undergoing in the Cave of Skulls which is at 80 meters from a cliff top and 250 meters off the base of the "wadi." Rappelling and camp accommodations in "desert field conditions" are part of the undertakings for the project's more than 500 Israeli and foreign participants. The current project is expected to be carried out for another two weeks or more if necessary.

Ganor also mentioned that they found evidence of illicit intervention in almost every cave they examined and found it heart-breaking.

"The loss of the finds is irreversible damage that cannot be tolerated," said Ganor.

Minister of Culture and Sport MK Miri Regev added, "I will work to increase the punishment against those that rob our country's antiquities."