THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS – Deluxe Leather Bound Edition (Easton Press)

Features of this Easton Press Illustrated Edition include:
– Fully and tightly bound in genuine leather.
– Matching slipcase.
– 22kt gold accents deeply inlaid on the “hubbed” spine.
– Fully illustrated.
– Heavy duty binding boards enhance the book’s durability.
– Superbly printed on acid-neutral paper that lasts for generations.
– Sewn pages – not just glued like ordinary books.
– Handsome moiré endpages and a satin-ribbon page marker.
– Gilded page ends.
– Printed and bound in the USA.
– Rigorous inspection at every stage ensures adherence to our exacting standards.
– Superb craftsmanship and commitment to quality.

The landmark ancient biblical texts, authoritatively translated in a beautiful illustrated edition…

Exploring caves near the Dead Sea in November 1946, Bedouin shepherd Muhammed edh-Dhib discovered an ancient urn containing manuscripts. It would prove one of the greatest archaeological finds of all time.

Over the next decade almost a thousand biblical and sectarian texts, many only fragments, would be discovered in the Judean caves of Qumran, texts which have transformed our understanding of the Hebrew Bible, early Judaism, and the origins of Christianity.

In 1966 the Limited Editions Club created a stunning deluxe 1,500 copy illustrated edition of the first English translation of these groundbreaking discoveries.

Now, fifty years later, Easton Press is proud to present: THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS, a marvelous Collector Edition re-creation of the rare deluxe 1966 illustrated Limited Editions Club book.

The turbulent birth of modern Judaism and Christianity.

The oldest group of Old Testament manuscripts ever found, the Dead Sea Scrolls include at least fragments of all but one book of the Hebrew scriptures, many in versions surprisingly different from the standard texts. The scrolls also preserve books not included in the canonical Bible, as well as non-scriptural writings that document the dramatic diversity and dynamism of Judaism and early Christianity.

The first and still definitive translation of the scrolls was by Geza Vermes, until his death in 2013 the preeminent scholar of the Dead Sea scrolls and their era. Vermes also provides an authoritative introduction and commentary that illuminate the ancient texts, their authors, and the fascinating religious turbulence in Palestine during the centuries just before and after Christ.
For its 1966 book, the Limited Editions Club commissioned artwork from the renowned Israeli artist, Shraga Weil. Weil’s 16 watercolors, eight of which are presented in a grand double-page format, and numerous line drawings are all superbly reproduced in the Collector Edition THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS.