…especially when I am the one bleeding. On Sunday, our class took a full day excursion to Qumran along the Dead Sea in the West Bank. Qumran is the site where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in the late 1940s. Found were over 900 manuscripts of almost every part of the Bible (except for the Book of Ester), showing how certain verses and chapter have been altered by commentators and redactors throughout the last 1000 years. These scrolls represented the biggest biblical find in centuries.
I am really surprised the University of Chicago allowed us to do this. Well, more accurately, I am surprised our archaologist guide let us go traipsing through steep and rocky and unmarked crags and crevasses without any supervision, especially when some people (always the girls) were vastly unprepared (sandals, skirts, no water, no sunscreen). The guide just told us, “Be careful” which we only heard in passing as we were already half way up the mountain.
Vats of sweat and blood, several scratches on my camera, clothes ruined…so much fun!
About to scale this mountain to examine Cave 11, where some of the scrolls were found. This is actually illegal unless you have an archaeologist has a guide, which we fortunately did
A look inside Cave 11; some scrolls were found here
We did some climbing on our own. Several hundred feet up (though still way below sea level); in the distance is the Dead Sea and across, is Jordan
Attemping to reconnect with the main group below. Of course I fell and got blood all over my pants and I scratched my camera LCD - great...
Splitting from the main group again. Climbing down this incredibly rocky and steep path. We had to spider walk with our butts and hands on the ground. Bruises ensued.
I love signs.
Another sign at the rest station at Qumran, West Bank, Israel
Notice the small cave in the top right. We were going to climb up there, but the archaeologist said it was too dangerous for us.
We tried to climb up this wadi, but the guide was not happy and made us come down. The green water was stagnant and attracted so many flies.
Just thought this was neat. Everything in Israel is in Hebrew, but in the West Bank, where I was, goods are all in Arabic only.
Wow… that is amazing. I can’t tell you how much I like reading and looking through your pictures. I feel like I was there.
love your descriptions!! Is your camera ok?