For context, the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, began displaying the Dead Sea Scrolls on November 22, 2024, and eight of the legendary artifacts will be at the library until September 2, 2025. The library referred to the scrolls as “one of the most significant archaeological discoveries of the 20th century.”
Announcing the display in a statement to the press, the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library’s Melissa Giller explained that its display includes an extremely rare manuscript that outlines the beliefs of the Qumran sect, a Jewish religious group that lived near the Dead Sea from around 150 BC to 70 CE.
Describing the document to the press, Giller called it “foundational” and said that it “outlines the governing structure, values, and daily practices of this community, offering scholars and the public a rare window into the communal life and religious ideals of one of Judaism’s ancient communities.” In addition, Giller’s statement described hosting the scrolls as a “tremendous honor.”
Furthermore, Giller stated that its namesake, President Ronald Reagan, “believed in the enduring importance of faith, history and cultural understanding, and we’re proud to share these sacred treasures with the public during this landmark 75th anniversary year.” She added, “The public has a desire to connect with the ancient roots of modern civilization and religion, and we are proud to help make that connection possible, especially as the Reagan Library is the only West Coast location where these scrolls can be seen.”
On its website, the Reagan Library explains the Dead Sea Scrolls further, describing them as a “remarkable discovery in the Judaean Desert” in 1947 that includes “the oldest known copies of the Hebrew Bible (Christian Old Testament and an extraordinary library of previously unknown religious writings.” Furthermore, the library describes the scrolls as “offering unprecedented insights into the spiritual and cultural landscape of the Second Temple period,” which spanned from 516 BC to 70 AD.
In addition, the Reagan Library website specifies that its display also includes the legendary “Jesus Boat,” also known as the Sea of Galilee Boat, which the library describes as “a 1st-century CE fishing boat discovered in 1986 along the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee” that was found during a severe drought that made the waters recede.
Along with the scrolls and the boat, the library’s display also includes the Magdala Stone, an artifact from the Second Temple Period that includes “intricate carvings of the Temple” that offer unique insight into the way that the Jewish people viewed synagogues “as sacred spaces.”
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library describes itself as “the sole nonprofit organization created by President Reagan” and adds that it is “charged with advancing his legacy and principles – individual liberty, economic opportunity, freedom and democracy, peace through strength, and national pride.”
Watch a video on the Dead Sea Scrolls Exhibit:
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