
Freeing the Dead Sea Scrolls
And Other Adventures of an Archaeology Outsider
Hershel Shanks(Author)
Continuum Publishing Corporation
Published on 6. March 2010
Book
Hardback
272 pages
978-1-4411-5217-6 (ISBN)
Description
This title offers a fascinating account of a world renowned Biblical Archaeologist and his scrapes with Governments, Nomads and Scoundrels. Herschel Shanks is a world renowned Biblical Archaeologist and Founder and Editor of "The Biblical Archaeology Review". Early on, he established a practice as a successful and well-paid Attorney in Washington DC. But after a trip to the Holy Land he changed careers and devoted himself to the study of Biblical Archaeology. Aside from the huge scholarly importance of this subject, Shanks introduces us here to a fascinating world or rivalry, skulduggery and internecine warfare. In the process Shanks has ended up in court. With the discovery of 'The Dead Sea Scrolls' a whole new world of theft and conspiracy opened up. Nomads seeing the chance of making a quick buck stole fragments and then sold them to unscrupulous dealers. Most recently Shanks has been associated with the discovery of the Ossuary which contained the bones of The Brother of Jesus. Shanks vigorously defends its authenticity in one of the book's most lively chapters.
Reviews / Votes
As always, Shank's style is clear and understandable for a wide audience ... Readers with an interest in Bible History can read it as a primer. * Baptist Times * Freeing the Dead Sea Scrolls makes a nice read, and gives insight in Shanks' relations with scholars. * Journal for the Study of Judaism * He's not exactly a household name, but anybody who has been paying only intermittent attention to the tricky, contentious and occasionally litigious world of biblical archaeology will know that Hershel Shanks, who at the age of 80 has just published his autobiography, is the leading non-archaeologist in the field. -- Richard Bernstein * The New York Times *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
College/higher education
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 156 mm
Weight
582 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4411-5217-6 (9781441152176)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
03/2010
1st Edition
Continuum Publishing Corporation
€21.99
Available for download
Person
Hershel Shanks is the longtime editor of the Biblical Archaeology Review, which is to biblical archaeology what Vogue is to fashion, and author of numerous popular books such as Ancient Israel: From Abraham to the Roman Destruction of the Temple (2nd ed. 1999). Jerusalem: An Archaeological Biography (1995), and The Mystery and Meaning of the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Content
Preface; 1. In the Beginning; 2. The Sharon Years; 3. My College Years; 4. Columbia, Harvard and the Department of Justice; 5. Practising Law; 6. Our Year in Israel; 7. Starting BAR; 8. Maturing BAR; 9. Freeing the Scrolls; 10. Losing in Court; 11. The Pomegranate and the Ossuary; 12. The Yehoash Plaque; 13. The Forgery Trial of the Century; 14. My Credo.