The burial of sealed jars in the Qumran cemetery : disposal of consecrated property?

Abstract

In the course of her illustrious career, Jodi has shaped many fields of study. But I dare to say that her major contribution lies in her boundless generosity and willingness to share freely her immense knowledge and critical insights with friends and colleagues, challenging them to look at questions from a different perspective. I am happy to have been at the receiving end of Jodi’s generosity and to have benefitted immensely from her erudition and clarity of thought. It is therefore with great pleasure that I contribute this paper in her honor and as a token of gratitude for all her support along the years. In this paper, I explore a Qumran phenomenon (one among many, one could say) that is both unique and somewhat baffling—namely, the burial of sealed jars in two “graves” in the cemetery adjacent to the built settlement. The few explanations that have been proffered for this practice are unconvincing. Here, I suggest that the burial of the jars is connected with the disposal of consecrated property. If correct, this evidence would shed important light not only on the inhabitants’ ritual practices but also on their attitudes towards the Jerusalem temple and its priesthood.