I am in Kristiansand for a conference “On the Origin of the Pieces: The Provenance of the Dead Sea Scrolls.”

This conference is organized by “The Lying Pen of Scribes” project and discusses key issues related to the provenance of the original Dead Sea Scrolls, that is, not only the fake fragments that recently appeared on the antiquities market, but those that were found by the Bedouin in the mid-twentieth century.

Here is the conference program:

On the Origin of the Pieces: The Provenance of the Dead Sea Scrolls
University of Agder, 13 March 2020, Room A7-001

8:45–9:00
Fruit, coffee, and tea

9:00–9:15
Prof. Årstein Justnes, University of Agder
Introduction and welcome

Session I, chair: Prof. Tor Vegge, University of Agder

9:15–10:15
Prof. Michael Langlois, French Research Center in Jerusalem
“At the Beginning: Early Issues of Authenticity, Provenance and Acquisition of the Scrolls”

10:15-10:30
Short break

10:30–11:30
Prof. Stephen A. Reed, University of Jamestown
“Back to the Caves”

11:30–12:15
Dr. Josephine Munch Rasmussen, University of Agder
“Archaeological Provenance: What It Is and What It Isn’t”

12:15–13:15 Lunch

Session II, chair: PhD student Ingrid Breilid Gimse, University of Agder

13:15–13:45
Prof. Brent Nongbri, MF (via Skype)
“From the Outside, Looking In: Some Questions from a Novice Regarding the Contents of Qumran Cave 1”

13:45–14:15
Assistant prof. Kristine T. Rosland, USN
“Provenance and Nag Hammadi: Is There More to Say?”

14:15–14:45
PhD student Ludvik A Kjeldsberg, University of Agder
“A Database of Dead Sea Scrolls Exhibitions in the 20th and 21st Centuries”

14:45-
Official cake ceremony