What did a shepherd boy discover at Qumran, Jordan, in 1947?

A shepherd boy discovered the Dead Sea Scrolls at Qumran, Jordan, in 1947. The discovery began when Bedouin shepherd Muhammed edh-Dhib and companions explored a cave near the ancient settlement of Qumran while searching for a lost goat or sheep.

Inside Cave 1, they found ancient scrolls stored in clay jars. The first group included the Great Isaiah Scroll, the Community Rule, and a commentary on the biblical Book of Habakkuk. The scrolls were eventually recognized as some of the most important archaeological discoveries of the 20th century.

The Dead Sea Scrolls are a collection of more than 900 Jewish manuscripts and fragments, written mainly in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. They include biblical texts, religious laws, prayers, and community writings. Most date from roughly the third century BCE to the first century CE.

Qumran was in the area then controlled by Jordan, which explains the wording of the question. Today, the site lies in the West Bank near the northwestern shore of the Dead Sea.