AI revealed the secrets of ancient biblical scrolls

Researchers from the University of Groningen have developed a unique machine learning model capable of determining the age of ancient manuscripts with high accuracy based on handwriting analysis. The new system, called Enoch, has demonstrated remarkable results: some Dead Sea Scrolls turned out to be significantly older than previously thought. Moreover, according to the model's conclusions, certain fragments may date back to the time when, as scientists believe, the biblical texts were actually written. The research description was published in the journal PLOS One.

Since their discovery, the Dead Sea Scrolls have remained a crucial source of information about the origins and development of Judaism and Christianity. Thanks to new technologies, their study has reached a qualitatively new level.

Previously, the dating of fragments was conducted mainly through paleographic analysis - by handwriting and letter shapes. However, there was a time gap between the preserved dated documents from the 5th-4th centuries BCE and the 1st-2nd centuries CE, which hindered accurate age determination for most texts. To fill this gap, the team of The Hands That Wrote the Bible project combined radiocarbon analysis, artificial intelligence, and research on the geometry of symbol writing.

Based on the BiNet neural network architecture, a model was created capable of capturing the minutest features of writing - from angles and curves of lines to unique symbol shapes - and comparing this data with radiocarbon analysis results. The model's accuracy proved so high that in some cases its conclusions were even more reliable than traditional physical methods.

Among the important results is the refinement of dating for several texts. For example, according to the model's assessment, one of the fragments of the Book of Daniel actually dates to the 160s BCE, which coincides with the scientific hypothesis about when the main text was created. Similarly, a fragment of Ecclesiastes is dated to the 3rd century BCE, confirming its Hellenistic origin rather than the later traditional attribution to the era of King Solomon.

The study also provided grounds to reconsider historical ideas about the development of writing in Judea. It was discovered that the Hasmonean writing style appeared earlier than previously thought, while the style associated with Herod's era, conversely, began to be used earlier than the presumed time. These discoveries change the scientific view of cultural and political processes in the region during the Hellenistic and early Roman periods.

Additionally, the new methodology allows for a fresh assessment of literacy levels in ancient society, the development of religious groups, and possible connections between the Qumran texts and emerging Christianity.