Stichographic Layout in the Dead Sea Psalms Scrolls: Observations on its Development and its Potential

Abstract

2 The term "biblical" is anachronistic since an authoritative (Hebrew or Christian) Bible did not exist when the manuscripts were written. Furthermore, some of the psalms scrolls dealt with in this article contain also both apocryphal and formerly unknown compositions. Thus, when the term "biblical" psalms is used, it is referring to psalms that are part of the (later) canonical Psalter. The identification of scrolls which contain both "biblical" and other compositions as "biblical psalms scrolls" is used to distinguish these scrolls from those manuscripts which contain only apocryphal psalms compositions.