I går kom fjorårets viktigste Qumran-nyhet, den om latrinene, ut til verden for alvor, gjennom en nyhetsmelding fra Associated Press. Artikkelen er riktig god og vel verd å lese (her sitert etter Yahoo News):
Ancient latrine fuels debate at Qumran
Researchers say their discovery of a 2,000-year-old toilet at one of the world's most important archaeological sites sheds new light on whether the ancient Essene community was home to the authors of many of the Dead Sea Scrolls.
In a new study, three researchers say they have discovered the outdoor latrine used by the ancient residents of Qumran, on the barren banks of the Dead Sea. They say the find proves the people living here two millennia ago were Essenes, an ascetic Jewish sect that left Jerusalem to seek proximity to God in the desert.
...
The discovery is more significant than it may seem. The nature of the settlement at Qumran is the subject of a lively academic debate.
Les hele artikkelen
Oppdatering, samme ettermiddag: Her kan du lese James Tabors kommentar til AP-meldingen. Tabor er den ene av forskerne som har gjort den aktuelle undersøkelsen.
