Thursday, February 17, 2011

Another DSS anniversary

ANNIVERSARY:
This week in Haaretz 1955 / PM announces all seven Dead Sea Scrolls are now in Israel's hands

The press conference held by Prime Minister Moshe Sharett in his office on February 13, 1955, was more like an state party than a mere media event. Sharett, flanked by Hebrew University president Benjamin Mazar and archaeologist Nahman Orgad, had important news to convey: Four Dead Sea Scrolls discovered in 1947 in a cave in the Judean Desert were now in Israel's hands.

The announcement meant Israel was now in possession of all seven scrolls. "Three other scrolls were already held by the university, and so now all seven are ours," Haaretz quoted the prime minister as saying.

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