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Re: orion Celibacy, Cemetery, update
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To any who are interested,
Perhaps more clearly stated one should say:
"There were no spindle whorls or loom weights found during the
excavations of Kh. Qumran, during the period in question."
According to DeVaux's notes and object catalogues, there are actually
two spindle whorls found at Qumran. However, neither were found in
contexts from the periods in question. One of them (KhQ 401) appeared
^Óon the floor^Ô of locus 20 which sits high above the destruction layer
of period II in a secure period III (post 70 CE) context (i.e., non
Essene). (Level III is also the only level where glass can be assigned
to securely.)
The other (KhQ 401) was found in a mixed context which includes both
molded glass and a Byzantine coin.
(One spindle whorl was found at Ein Feshkha [AF 198]. This is not a
problem for DeVaux since no similar claim for celibacy at Ein Feshkha
needs to be upheld. In fact Ein Feshkha may be one of the "camps"
represented in the peripheral cemeteries. On this cf. Yadin, Temple
Scroll, vol. I, p. 324).
Without reading any more than necessary into the early, and admitted,
rather unclear assessments of the cemetery (specific details of the
first 11 graves) the excavator's last assessment of the main cemetery
should stand.
"Apart from some instances which are uncertain due to the bad state of
the preservation of the bones, all the skeleton's in that part of the
cemetery which is carefully planned are male." - DeVaux ARCHAEOLOGY AND
THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS. (English Edition, p.47)
Peace.
S. Pfann