Aggies On Team Behind Dead Sea Scrolls Cave Discovery

By Holly Rine ’16 

The number 12 is significant to all Aggies, but it was especially meaningful for two former students who were part of the archaeological team that unearthed the 12th cave known to have contained Dead Sea Scrolls.

The Dead Sea Scrolls are a set of ancient manuscripts that date back to the time of Jesus. The scrolls contain some of the original writings of the Hebrew Bible as well as secular accounts of life in the first and second centuries AD. 

Found between 1947 and 1956 in 11 caves in the cliffs along the West Bank of the Dead Sea, scholars have long used these scrolls as sources of insight into Judeo-Christian history. No new finds of caves that had contained Dead Sea Scrolls had been made in the 60 years since—until the dig by a team of American and Israeli archaeologists that included Aggies Bruce ’85 and Rebecca ’84 Hall. 

The discovery of the 12th cave made worldwide news when it was announced in February. Bruce Hall said being connected with such a major archaeological find was “amazing,” and he described his and his wife’s involvement on the team as a dream. 

With only 16 archaeologists and volunteers on the team, Bruce and Rebecca were proud, excited, blessed, and honored to be included. She worked as a volunteer, while Bruce was the only other American archaeologist, next to Dr. Randall Price. Hall and Price had worked together before, climbing Mt. Ararat in search of Noah’s Ark as part of an adventure chronicled in the 2015 film Finding Noah. (Read more about that here.)

Bruce and Rebecca left for Israel in late December 2016, prepared for a two-week stay. However, the history their team would soon dig up prompted them to extend their trip to almost a month. Bruce said they were “overwhelmed with the mercy and grace of God that put us in the right place at the right time.”

They are also the only group of archaeologists to have found the clay store jars, which once contained the scrolls, in their original positions. This was due to the cave partially collapsing and preserving those artifacts.

Bruce said the team is absolutely certain that the cave once held scrolls because of pieces of linen and a scrap of parchment that were found along with the clay pottery. While they are still uncertain as to whether or not the parchment contains any writing, Bruce said that if results come back and show traces of writing, “This would be the archaeological find of the 21st century.”

Fragments of artifacts found in the cave. Photo courtesy of Bruce Hall '85.

Bruce compared the epic find to the baseball World Series. “It’s like we’re in the World Series and just hit a home run and scored the 12th run.

“Most archaeologists don’t get this kind of find in their lives. We’re very blessed.”

Hall said he was “still worn out, but it was worth it,” and that he and Rebecca are already planning to go back next year and do it all again. While he said they would be thrilled to find the 13th, 14th, and 15th caves, finding the 12th was especially meaningful for the loyal Aggie couple. “Wow, the 12th Man … finding cave 12,” exclaimed Bruce, almost at a loss for words. 

Bruce Hall received a bachelor’s degree in architecture from A&M and is currently working toward a master’s in archaeology. Rebecca Hall received a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics from A&M.

To read more about the find, check out the articles below:

NPR: "Archaeologists Excavate 12th Cave They Say Once Housed Dead Sea Scrolls" 

BBC News: "New Dead Sea Scrolls cave discovered" 

Washington Post: "Archaeologists say they have found a cave that once held Dead Sea Scrolls, a first in 60 years"