New Radiocarbon Analysis Publication on DSS
Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2025 2:27 pm
As notified by Brent Nongbri, there's been a new open-access article released regarding some new radiocarbon analysis of several of the Dead Sea Scrolls manuscripts.
Main point of interest is the C14 date given for the ms 4Q114 Daniel (aka 4QDanc), which comes out strongest for it being copied between 230-160 BCE, nearly a good 100+ years before its currently assigned palaeographical date (150-75 CE). Plus this does come to possibly question as to how much earlier the Book of Daniel was authored, which this manuscript can potentially push back at least another century or two.
Main point of interest is the C14 date given for the ms 4Q114 Daniel (aka 4QDanc), which comes out strongest for it being copied between 230-160 BCE, nearly a good 100+ years before its currently assigned palaeographical date (150-75 CE). Plus this does come to possibly question as to how much earlier the Book of Daniel was authored, which this manuscript can potentially push back at least another century or two.