JERUSALEM, Israel, April 27, 2003 — The building in Jerusalem that houses the Dead Sea Scrolls is undergoing renovations. The Israel Museum, Jerusalem's Shrine of the Book will be closed to the public for approximately one year, in order to complete the restoration.
The $3 million renovation project will refurbish the Shrine, which was built in 1965 to display the Dead Sea Scrolls, while preserving the original architecture of the museum. The scrolls, discovered in the Qumran caves in the Judean Desert in 1947, are considered among the most important archaeological treasures of Israel and the Jewish people.
In a recent news release, James Snyder, director of the Israel Museum said, "The Dead Sea Scrolls are among the greatest treasures held in the Israel Museum's collections, and the Shrine where they are preserved and displayed is also one of the truly distinctive architectural jewels of the last century.
"The restoration of the Shrine and the renewed display of the Scrolls will ensure their preservation for generations to come," he added.
The refurbished Shrine will feature a new permanent display, designed to illuminate the history of the Hebrew Bible, as well as an on-site laboratory for professional research and technical analysis of the Scrolls.
Some of the treasures from the Shrine are scheduled to go on display May 30, 2003 at the Israel Museum, in a comprehensive exhibition titled, "Envisioning the Temple: Scrolls, Stones and Symbols".
The renovations mean scroll fragments will be displayed in North America
But the renovation means North Americans will also have the opportunity to view some scroll fragments. The Montreal Museum of Archaeology and History at Pointe à Callière is planning an exhibition titled "Archaeology and the Bible - From King David to the Dead Sea Scrolls," to run from June 17 until November 2.
Director of the Pointe à Callière museum, Francine Lelièvre, told The Gazette recently, "This is an extraordinary opportunity to have these objects and manuscripts here. It is a very great privilege to receive in Montreal such unique pieces from the biblical era, including major manuscripts that are closely tied to the history of Judaism and Christianity."
According to an article on Canada.com News, one of the scrolls is a metre wide, while two other fragments are 40 to 60 centimetres wide. Two of the fragments have never before travelled to North America.
|
