7Q4, 7Q8, ETC... These combinations of letters and numbers are the sigla used by scholars to designate the papyrus fragments from Qumran cave 7. The first number refers to the cave, which in this case is cave 7. The "Q" stands for Qumran, the geographical location of the cave. The second number indicates the individual fragment. These designations are official; and in the case of Qumran cave 7 the sigla run from 7Q1 through 7Q19.
CODEX (plural: Codices) The ancient precursor to the book. In contrast to a rolled-up scroll, the codex was a series of leaves bound at the spine in a manner that resembles the pages of a book. At an early period, Christians abandoned the scroll in favor of the codex. Scholars are in disagreement about when this change took place.
DEAD SEA SCROLLS The scrolls and manuscript fragments found at about half a dozen sites in the vicinity of the Dead Sea. The most famous of these sites is Qumran.
ÉCOLE BIBLIQUE An institution devoted to Biblical studies that is located in Jerusalem. It was founded in 1890 by the Dominicans.
EDITIO PRINCEPS The first printed edition of an ancient text. The editio princeps of the Qumran cave 7 fragments is: "Discoveries in the Judaean Desert of Jordan, III: Les Petites Grottes de Qumran." It was published in 1962.
ENOCH, BOOK OF A non-Biblical work that was composed shortly before the time of Christ. It is often referred to as First Enoch or Ethiopic Enoch. It is completely preserved only in the Ethiopic language. Smaller portions of the work are also preserved in Aramaic, Greek, and Latin.
HOMÉOARCHON (English: Homoioarchton) One of a variety of errors that can occur when manuscripts are copied by hand. In this case words with similar beginnings in their spelling are confused, rearranged, or omitted.
IOTA ADSCRIT (English: Iota Adscript) In ancient Greek manuscripts a silent iota was written after certain vowels. In modern Greek, this iota is now written below these vowels and is called Iota Subscript.
LACUNA (plural: Lacunae) A gap or a missing portion in a manuscript. This is usually due to the deterioration of the manuscript over time.
MINUSCULE Greek manuscripts that are written in small letters that are usually joined to each other as in cursive script. These manuscripts are more recent than the Uncial manuscripts, which are written in large capital letters that are separate from each other.
PAL(A)EOGRAPHY The study of ancient handwriting techniques and styles. This science is helpful in determining the age of a manuscript.
PAPYROLOGY The study of ancient manuscripts.
PAPYRUS Writing material that is made from the papyrus plant; not animal skins.
QUMRÂN The geographical place name for the most important of the Dead Sea scroll finds. The Qumran ruins (Khirbet Qumran) and the Qumran valley (Wadi Qumran) are located on the north-west shore of the Dead Sea; to the east of Jerusalem.
REVUE BIBLIQUE A scholarly journal published by the Ecole Biblique.
REVUE DE QUMRÂN A scholarly journal that specializes in Qumran studies.
SEPTANTE (English: Septuagint or LXX) The first Greek translation of the Old Testament. The translation work began in the 3rd. century BC.
SIGLUM (plural: Sigla) An abbreviation or symbol that is used to designate a certain manuscript, Bible version, or ancient work.
STICHOMETRY The analysis of the length of lines in a column of handwritten text. The number of letters in the lines of text should be similar for all the lines in a column. This is a very helpful factor in identifying small manuscript fragments.
STIQUE (English: Stich or Stichos) A single line of text or a single line of poetry.
TRANSCRIPTION A detailed copy of a manuscript that is done in modern letters or print. It often includes details about missing letters (lacunae), poorly preserved letters, or other conjectural restorations of the text.
Go to: Qumran
Cave 7 Fragments and the Computer
Go to: Fragments of Enoch from Qumran Cave 7.
Return to Main Entrance to all my other web sites.
1-22-2000