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news
Momentous
discovery in excavation results
By MaryJoy Sibucao
Special to the On-line Forty-Niner
The discovery of
human fossils by two Cal State Long Beach Alumni was one of
several topics in the lecture series, 'The Results of the
Dead Sea Scrolls Excavation, Qumran 2001" held Friday.
The event presented by the Institute for the Study of Judeo-Christian
Origins and the Religious Studies Student Association was
held in the Lecture Hall, Room 151.
For two weeks in Summer 2001, five representatives from CSULB
along with geologists and archaeologists from universities
in the United States, Canada and Israel took part in an excavation
in Qumran, Israel, located north of the Dead Sea. The excavation
was funded mainly by the John and Carol Merrill Foundation
with a goal to further the research conducted in the past
by Dr. Robert Eisenman of CSULB.
CSULB representative Noelle Bautista Kinley, a religious studies
major and president of the Religious Studies Student Association
feels very fortunate for her experience in Qumran.
"As an undergraduate I was given the opportunity to do
graduate level work and of course to make contacts with noted
scholars and geologists in the field," Kinley said.
Kinley put together the lecture series to give CSULB students
a report on what they did at the excavation.
"I wanted to provide the opportunity of getting to know
what's going on out there as far as excavation and archeology
and the latest advancements of technology we used," Kinley
said.
During the excavation, CSULB alumni and researchers Ron Dubay
and Dennis Walker discovered fossils in the eastern part of
the graveyard on the cliffs of Qumran that had been considered
a mere lookout tower for more than 50 years. Dubay and Walkesaid
they believed a mausoleum was created for people to come and
pray there.
Although Walker was unable to attend the lecture, Dubay presented
their findings.
"I think they might have buried their more important
people in their community," Dubay said regarding the
mausoleum.
Researchers are unsure of the exact gender of these fossils
and if the human remains are of more than one person.
The significance of Dubay's and Walker's discovery indicates
that a lot of important religious figures lived in the area
during this time period.
Two world renowned geologists, Dr. Harry Jol and Dr. Philip
Reeder from the Qumran excavation also presented their research
results during the lecture.
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