A Critical Assessment of the Portrayal of Women in the Dead Sea Scrolls Sectarian Rule Texts, and of the Evidence for the Presence of Women in the Qumran Community

The Dead Sea Scrolls were found between 1947 and 1956 in eleven caves close to the site of Qumran, which lies in the north-west area of the Dead Sea. The scrolls date from between the 3rd century BCE and the 1st century CE, and had remained in the caves untouched for some 2000 years. The aims of this study are, firstly, to examine the portrayal of women in three sectarian scrolls: the Rule of the Community; the Rule of the Congregation, and the Damascus Document, although other sectarian texts, and a Wisdom text, Wiles of the Wicked Woman (4Q184) will be consulted where relevant, and, secondly, to uncover archaeological evidence for the presence of women at the Qumran site itself. There is general consensus that Qumran was occupied by an Essene sect during the Second Temple period, although its exact function, and whether it comprised only celibate males, or included marrying sect members, remains uncertain. The ancient authors, Philo, Josephus and Pliny, all provided information about the Essenes, including the celibacy issue, but their writings, as well as the scrolls themselves, and the early reception history of the scrolls, were all androcentric in nature. This research analysed the portrayal of women in the Rule texts using a multidisciplinary approach, focusing on Reception History and recent Feminist-Critical and Gender Studies methodologies, to ascertain their involvement in communities linked to the Dead Sea Scrolls (DSS communities), concluding that they did play an active role, although to a lesser extent, and with less authority, than men. Following this analysis, archaeological evidence that women formed part of the community from the Qumran site itself, including its architecture, the cemetery, and the nearby caves, was scrutinised, concluding that there is evidence for their presence, although this is limited.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

ma

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

masters

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of Wales Trinity Saint David

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Stankaitis, Diane

• BM Iddewaeth
• HQ Y teulu. Priodas. Benyw.

Dc Identifier Grantnumber

UWTSD

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:repository.uwtsd.ac.uk:3633