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Material and Digital Reconstruction of Fragmentary Dead Sea Scrolls
The Case of 4Q418a
Series: - Studies on the Texts of the Desert of Judah, Volume: 136
Scholars working with ancient scrolls seek ways to extract maximum information from the multitude of fragments. Various methods were applied to that end on the Dead Sea Scrolls as well as on other ancient texts. The present book augments these methods to a full-scale protocol, while adapting them to a new computerized environment. Fundamental methodological issues are illuminated as part of the discussion, and the potential margin of error is provided on an empirical basis, as practiced in the sciences. The method is then exemplified with regard to the scroll 4Q418a, a copy of a wisdom composition from Qumran.
Jonathan Ben-Dov, Ph.D. 2005, is associate professor of biblical studies at the Department of Bible, Tel Aviv University. He has published widely on the Hebrew Bible, Ancient Near East, and Second Temple Literature, and took part in the official publication of the scrolls in the series Discoveries in the Judaen Desert.
Asaf Gayer, Ph.D., 2021, is a post-doctoral fellow at the Department of Bible, Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He has published mostly on material aspects of the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Eshbal Ratzon, Ph.D., 2012, is a senior lecturer at the Cohn Institute for the History and Philosophy of Science and the Department of Jewish Philosophy and Talmud, Tel Aviv University. She has published mostly on the history of ancient science and on several aspects in Second Temple Literature.
Asaf Gayer, Ph.D., 2021, is a post-doctoral fellow at the Department of Bible, Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He has published mostly on material aspects of the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Eshbal Ratzon, Ph.D., 2012, is a senior lecturer at the Cohn Institute for the History and Philosophy of Science and the Department of Jewish Philosophy and Talmud, Tel Aviv University. She has published mostly on the history of ancient science and on several aspects in Second Temple Literature.
Acknowledgements
List of Tables and Figures
Introduction: The Present Volume
â1âThe Stegemann Method Reconsidered
1 Collecting the Materials
â1âTracing the Imaging History
â2âValidating the Provenance of the Fragments
2 Margin of Error
â1âMeasurement Errors
â2âStatistical Errors
â3âIndirect Measurements
3 Image Manipulation
â1âEnhancement and Manipulation
â2âDigitally Repairing the Fragment
4 Scaling the Images
5 Removing the Background
â1âManual Removal of the Background
6 Finding Information on the Verso
â1âModern Stamps
â2âThe Title of the Composition
â3âOpisthographs
â4âEvidence for Additional Layers
â5âStitching Impressions
â6âMirror Writing
7 Finding Wads
â1âMethods for Tracing Layers that Are Still Attached
â2âMethods for Identifying Fragments that Originated from Wads
8 Reading and Text Reconstruction
â1âMarking Doubtful Letters
â2âLetter Cloning
â3âReconstruction Based on Parallels
9 Recreating Single Columns Based on Fragments and Parallels
â1âWidth
â2âHeight
â3âMargins
10 Font
â1âDesigning the Font
â2âMargin of Error
Appendix 1: Experiment for Validating the Use of a Custom-Made Font
âEshbal Ratzon, Einat Tamir, and Rivkah Madmoni
â1âIntroduction
â2âMaterials: The Examined Scrolls
â3âMethod
â4âResults
â5âDiscussion
Appendix 2: Automated Font Generation
âBronson Brown deVost
â1âGlyph Shape
â2âGlyph Size
â3âVertical Glyph Position
â4âGlyph Kerning
â5âWord and Line Spacing
11 Damage Patterns
â1âThe Direction in which the Scroll Was Rolled
â2âWads
â3âEstablishing the Order of Scattered Fragments
12 Placing the Fragments on the Canvas Using the Stegemann Method
â1âColumns and Margins in the Material Reconstruction
Appendix 3: Margin of Error for Placing the Fragments on the Canvas
13 Using One Prepared Copy as a Skeleton for a Second Copy
Appendix 4: Margin of Error for Chapter 13
14 Introduction to the Material Study of Instruction (Musar LaMevin)
â1âCopies, Editions, and Reconstructions of Instruction
â2âMaterial Information on 4Q418a
15 Re-Edition of 4Q418a
âEshbal Ratzon
â1âConventions of this Chapter
â2âWad A (frags. 1â8)
â3âWad B (frags. 9â12)
â4âWad C (frags. 13â14c)
â5âWad D (frags. 15â19)
â6âWad E
â7âSingle-Layered Fragments
16 Material and Digital Reconstruction of 4Q418a
âEshbal Ratzon
â1âThe Reconstruction of 4Q418a: State of the Art
â2âThe Wads
â3âReconstruction of 4Q418a
â4âPlacing the Fragments on the Canvas Using the Stegemann Method
â5âExcursus: Calculating the Error for the Distance of Each Fragment from the Anchor Fragments and from Its Consecutive Fragment
â6âColumns and Margins
â7âConclusion
17 Conclusion: Movement Towards a Comprehensive Reconstruction of Instruction
â1âThe Length of the Introductory Section in 4Q416, 4Q417
â2âThe Layout of 4Q415
â3âExtrapolation for Other Copies of Instruction
Bibliography
Index of Qumran Scrolls
Index of Modern Authors
Subject Index
List of Tables and Figures
Introduction: The Present Volume
â1âThe Stegemann Method Reconsidered
Part 1: Methodology
1 Collecting the Materials
â1âTracing the Imaging History
â2âValidating the Provenance of the Fragments
2 Margin of Error
â1âMeasurement Errors
â2âStatistical Errors
â3âIndirect Measurements
3 Image Manipulation
â1âEnhancement and Manipulation
â2âDigitally Repairing the Fragment
4 Scaling the Images
5 Removing the Background
â1âManual Removal of the Background
6 Finding Information on the Verso
â1âModern Stamps
â2âThe Title of the Composition
â3âOpisthographs
â4âEvidence for Additional Layers
â5âStitching Impressions
â6âMirror Writing
7 Finding Wads
â1âMethods for Tracing Layers that Are Still Attached
â2âMethods for Identifying Fragments that Originated from Wads
8 Reading and Text Reconstruction
â1âMarking Doubtful Letters
â2âLetter Cloning
â3âReconstruction Based on Parallels
9 Recreating Single Columns Based on Fragments and Parallels
â1âWidth
â2âHeight
â3âMargins
10 Font
â1âDesigning the Font
â2âMargin of Error
Appendix 1: Experiment for Validating the Use of a Custom-Made Font
âEshbal Ratzon, Einat Tamir, and Rivkah Madmoni
â1âIntroduction
â2âMaterials: The Examined Scrolls
â3âMethod
â4âResults
â5âDiscussion
Appendix 2: Automated Font Generation
âBronson Brown deVost
â1âGlyph Shape
â2âGlyph Size
â3âVertical Glyph Position
â4âGlyph Kerning
â5âWord and Line Spacing
11 Damage Patterns
â1âThe Direction in which the Scroll Was Rolled
â2âWads
â3âEstablishing the Order of Scattered Fragments
12 Placing the Fragments on the Canvas Using the Stegemann Method
â1âColumns and Margins in the Material Reconstruction
Appendix 3: Margin of Error for Placing the Fragments on the Canvas
13 Using One Prepared Copy as a Skeleton for a Second Copy
Appendix 4: Margin of Error for Chapter 13
Part 2: 4Q418a (4QInstructione)
14 Introduction to the Material Study of Instruction (Musar LaMevin)
â1âCopies, Editions, and Reconstructions of Instruction
â2âMaterial Information on 4Q418a
15 Re-Edition of 4Q418a
âEshbal Ratzon
â1âConventions of this Chapter
â2âWad A (frags. 1â8)
â3âWad B (frags. 9â12)
â4âWad C (frags. 13â14c)
â5âWad D (frags. 15â19)
â6âWad E
â7âSingle-Layered Fragments
16 Material and Digital Reconstruction of 4Q418a
âEshbal Ratzon
â1âThe Reconstruction of 4Q418a: State of the Art
â2âThe Wads
â3âReconstruction of 4Q418a
â4âPlacing the Fragments on the Canvas Using the Stegemann Method
â5âExcursus: Calculating the Error for the Distance of Each Fragment from the Anchor Fragments and from Its Consecutive Fragment
â6âColumns and Margins
â7âConclusion
17 Conclusion: Movement Towards a Comprehensive Reconstruction of Instruction
â1âThe Length of the Introductory Section in 4Q416, 4Q417
â2âThe Layout of 4Q415
â3âExtrapolation for Other Copies of Instruction
Bibliography
Index of Qumran Scrolls
Index of Modern Authors
Subject Index
Scholars working with fragmentary ancient documents, whether in Hebrew, Greek or other languages, in both philological and material aspects.