2014 EVA/Minerva Jerusalem International Conference on Digitisation of Cultural Heritage http://2014.minervaisrael.org.il http://www.digital-heritage.org.il

1. Digital tools for Improving the Editions of Cryptic Scrolls from Qumran EVA/ Minerva conference 10.11.14
Jonathan Ben-Dov, University of Haifa
Israel Science Foundation, grant number 1330/14

2. Digital tools for Improving the Editions of Cryptic Scrolls from Qumran
The project is carried out with the following partners: Nachum Derschowitz and Lior Wolff (Tel-Aviv University), Daniel Stoekl Ben-Ezra (EPHE, Paris), and the graduate student Asaf Gayer (Haifa).

3. Cryptic A - The alphabet
Source: S.J. Pfann, “The Mount Zion Inscribed Stone Cup: Preliminary Observations”, New Studies in the Archaeology of Jerusalem and its Region IV (2010), *44-*53

5. The Editorial Team
Josef T. Milik

7. From the Website (www. Dead Sea Scrolls.org.il):
The imaging technology used in this project is an innovative MegaVision product that enables the digital imaging of every Scroll fragment in various wavelengths and in the highest resolution possible. This will allow long term monitoring for preservation purposes in a non-invasive and precise manner. The images are equal in quality to the actual physical Imaging a plate in three visible wavelengths in the IAA studio viewing of the Scrolls, thus eliminating the need for their repeated exposure and allowing their preservation for future generations. The technology also helps recover traces of writing that have faded to invisibility over the years, with the help of near-infrared wavelengths.
Leon Levy Library Video

8. 2013 1956

9. Cryptic A manuscripts:
•Parchment:
-4Q298 – “Words of the Maskil”
-4Q317 – “Lunisolar Calendar”
-4Q324d-I 4QCryptic A Liturgical Calendar – Mishmarot
•Papyri:
-4Q249 – Midrash Sefer Moshe
-4Q249a-z (a-i – Serekh Ha’Edah)
-4Q250

10. Texts in Cryptic A script
4Q249 pap Midrash/Sepher Moshe

11. Texts in Cryptic A script
Serekh ha-’Edah
et al.
(in DJD 4Q249a-z)
Parts of 4Q249a-i
(Inv. Plate 590)
courtesy
Israel Antiquities
Authority

12. Texts in Cryptic A script
4Q250 pap Identified? Including “Text containing Cultic Service”, “Text with Relation to Isa 11”. (in DJD 4Q250a-j)

13. Writing on horizontal fibers
Writing on vertical fibers (4Q250)

14. Texts in Cryptic A script
4Q298 “Words of the Maskil to All the Sons of Dawn”
4Q324c-g Calendrical
Texts / Mishmarot

15. Texts in Cryptic A script
4Q317 “Phases of the Moon”
/ Liturgical Calendar”

16. PALIMPSEST: 4Q249 frgs 3, 10
www.deadseascrolls.org.il

17. Famous Palimpsests
•Archimedes Palimpsest Video
•Latin Jubilees
•)Ambrosiana(

18. Sorting fragments and reconstructing manuscripts: Milik’s reconstruction of 4Q249

19. Pfann’s division of 4Q249

20. Serekh ha-Edah 4Q249e 1 ii = 1QSa I 24-26 4Q249e 1 i = 1QSa I
24 ]העד[ ה] לשרי[ ם] ולשופטים למספר[ 1
2 כ̇ו̇ל̇ צ̇ ]ותם על פי ני צדוק הכוהנים[
3 25 וכול ר ]שי ות העדה ו ם תעודה תהיה[
4 לכול ה]קהל למשפט ו 26 לעצת יחד ו[
5 ]לת[ ע ]ודת מלחמה וקדשום שלושת ימים להיות[
1 18 מוע[ט זה
4 20 להתיצ[
שוליים:
ומ

21. Serekh ha-Edah
4Q249e 1 ii = 1QSa I 24-26?

22. מטרות הפרוייקט
• קרי ות חדשות מצעות התמונות המשופרות
• חלוקה מחודשת של כל הקטעים לכתבי היד
המקוריים
• מהדורה חדשה של כל הקטעים כת סתרים

23. Algorithmic Analyses (applied by Dershowitz and Wolff to Genizah fragments)
•Register (combine multiple images)
•Binarize (separate text from background)
•Cluster (match similar letters)
•Classify (match styles)
•Match (match handwriting)
•Position (use texture and shape to position)
23

24. IAA
40.974 + 40.633
43.410

25. Binarize: 4Q249
Slides courtesy N. Dershowitz

26. Crop and Papyrus Texture Map
Cropped
Texture map

27. Edge Detection

28. Magnitude and Direction

29. Directed Ridge Detection

30. Zoomed

31. Detected Ridges (Zoom-In (

32. Puzzling

33. Part II Unique Problems of DSS Research
1.Locating old and new photos
2.Matching old and New Photos
3.Copyright

35. Availability of fragments

36. Availability of fragments
PAM 40.633 PAM 43.410 IAA

37. Copyright and Open Access Publication