E 213: The Copper Scroll Project

ONE DAY CLOSER with Mark & Dave

The Copper Scroll from Qumran is a unique Dead Sea Scroll, written on copper sheets, that is believed to be a list of hiding places for large quantities of gold and silver treasure, a "treasure map" detailing locations across the Judea wilderness where these valuables were buried.
Scholars debate whether the treasure actually exists or if the scroll is a fictional account, but its cryptic language and specific descriptions of hiding spots have captivated researchers for decades.

Dave's ready to pack his bags and go on a treasure hunt! Want to join us?
Today we will review a book we have just finished reading entitled The Copper Scroll Project by Shelley Neese.

Jim Barfield, a retired arson criminal investigator from the Oklahoma Fire Department is on the hunt for the truth and his unique investigative perspectives to decoding the text has gained the attention of many archaeologists, scholars, religious institutions and nations.

Origin:
Discovered in a cave near the Qumran site, where the majority of Dead Sea Scrolls were found, leading scholars to associate it with the community that lived there, possibly the Essenes.
Material:
Unlike other Dead Sea Scrolls made of parchment or papyrus, the Copper Scroll is written on thin sheets of copper, which has helped preserve the text despite its age.

Contents:

The scroll lists numerous locations with detailed descriptions of where to find caches of gold, silver, and other precious items, often referencing landmarks and geographical features.

The treasure is vast, far beyond what we could imagine would be the property of an individual or even a group, unless they were the rulers of a nation. … If we look at the Copper Scroll closely in terms of its contents, this treasure seems to come from a temple—perhaps the Temple in Jerusalem—and was secreted away in 64 (or perhaps 61) locations, most of which are close to Jericho. The enormous size of the treasure, as well as the presence of cultic terminology (e.g., references to tithes, priestly vestments) included in the text, indicates the treasure’s sacred origin.
Could it be that...

• The treasure represents the antiquities recovered from the destruction of the Second Temple of Jerusalem in 70 AD. Josephus, a first century historian, states that those treasures were still in the building at the time of its destruction and were not removed for posterity or safekeeping.

• The copper scroll refers to the treasures recovered from the First Temple of Jerusalem, destroyed by the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BC. This is also questioned because the Temple was destroyed 500 years before scholars believe the text was written.

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