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Re: orion And about their bowel habits . . .
There is some possibility that the latrines "outside the camp" at Qumran
have been located. Can not release details at this time lest we get a rush
of illegal probing about (no pun intended). If so, it would go a long way
in closing the case regarding the use of the site by the group described in
the bulk of the Scrolls. Josephus' comment is indirectly supported by the
notion that one can not go "outside the camp" on Shabbat, yet the latrines
(and even "sex in the city") have to be just such a distance. Pixner's work
on the Essene gate fits here with reference to Jerusalem. Out at Qumran
much the same prevailed and the large pool on the NW edge of the "camp"
provides a proper "communal" entrance. Joking aside, there was no easy way
around such Torah prescriptions for the Qumran folk, given their literal
approach and view of holiness in the camp--see references in Temple Scroll,
War Scroll, etc.
James Tabor
UNC-Charlotte
At 03:24 PM 9/29/97 -0700, Martin Jaffee wrote:
>Does anyone know what to make of Josephus' report (War 2 [147]) that
>Essenes refrain from bowel movements on the Sabbath? I'm unaware of any
>corroboration from any of the DSS. Has anyone written on this topic in
>detail, other than to merely report it? Among the questions that interest
>me:
>