This volume is the second in a series published to mark the 50th anniversary of the discovery of the first scrolls at Qumran. The two-volume set contains a comprehensive range of articles covering topics that are archaeological, historical, literary, sociological, or theological in character. Since the discovery of the first scrolls in 1947 an large number of studies have been published. By the late 1990,s nearly all the scrolls found have been published in critical editions, and scholars can begin to assess the relevance of the scrolls for the study of the Bible, Second Temple Judaism and Early Christianity. The contributors to these volumes form an international team of leading specialists in the field. They have written critical surveys of particular aspects of Dead Sea Scrolls research, focusing on significant developments, theories and conclusions, while also indicating directions for future study.
