Digital Model of Qumran Enters Final Preparations for Release to Public

The Qumran Digital Model is currently in its final testing stages before its release to the public. The Qumran Digital Model is a 3D, realtime, virtual reconstruction of the archaeological remains of Khirbet Qumran, the site associated with the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Educators and enthusiasts will be able to download the virtual reality navigation software and the Qumran Digital Model to their Mac or PC and tour the ancient site during different phases of its existence. The model is being made available to the public free of charge.

The Qumran Digital Model is the product of a UCLA research project at the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures, which has been working to digitally reconstruct the archaeological remains at Qumran since 2005. This project has already produced high definition movies and digital reconstructions for lectures, university courses, and museum exhibitions, including the 2007 Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit at the San Diego Natural History Museum.

Once the Qumran Digital Model completes its online testing, it will be released to the public. An announcement will be made informing users where they may download the model and instructions for its installation and navigation. Viewers may visit the Virtual Qumran website for more information.

Announcements from VirtualQumran.com

A couple of exciting new things are about to be made available from the Qumran Visualization Project. Here are a few details:


The Virtual Qumran Model on Your Desktop
The Qumran Visualization Project is preparing to launch the latest version of its digital reconstruction of Qumran. In addition, VirtualQumran.com will make this latest version of the Virtual Qumran model available to the public for download to your computer. You’ll be able to navigate the reconstructed settlement from the comfort of your own home, office, or classroom. Please check back after Jan. 1, 2008 to download the Virtual Qumran model and navigation software.



Ancient Qumran: A Virtual Reality Tour (the movie)
The digital movie Ancient Qumran: A Virtual Reality Tour is nearing completion. The original, unpublished script is almost complete, and the high-definition graphics are re-rendered and optimized for viewing in HD. The movie is based upon the UCLA Qumran Visualization Project’s digital model of Qumran, and takes the viewer on a tour of the reconstructed settlement of Khirbet Qumran. It offers a history of the archaeological excavation of the site and the surrounding caves, and discusses the different theories concerning the nature and expansion of Qumran. This film is an updated and expanded version of the live-narration movie playing at the San Diego Natural History Museum as a part of their exhibition of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Stay tuned for information about the Spring 2008 release date and availability.

Magen and Peleg's Qumran Preliminary Report is Now Available

An offprint of "The Qumran Excavations 1993-2004: Preliminary Report" by Yitzhak Magen and Yuval Peleg is now available for download on the IAA website in .pdf format. Magen and Peleg provide an excellent description of their renewed excavations at Qumran. Everyone is encouraged to read the report, as it is sure to add to the discussion concerning the archaeology of Qumran.

- Robert Cargill

Upcoming Events Involving the UCLA Qumran Visualization Project

The following are some coming events involving the Qumran Visualization Project and the Virtual Qumran digital reconstruction.

October 23, 2007 - Qumran Visualization Project Chief Architect and Designer Robert R. Cargill will present a paper entitled "The UCLA Qumran Visualization Project: Reconstructing Ancient Qumran" to the UCLA Alumni Club at the San Diego Natural History Museum, San Diego, CA.

November 14, 2007 - Robert R. Cargill has accepted an invitation to present a virtual tour of the digitally reconstructed settlement at Qumran at the ASOR Plenary Session entitled, "The Current State of Qumran Archaeology". The keynote speaker for the evening is Dr. Jodi Magness.

November 17, 2007 - Robert R. Cargill will present a paper entitled "The Archaeology of Qumran: The Digitally Reconstructed Settlement and a Proposed Occupation Model" to the 'Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Remote Sensing, and Archaeology' section at the American Schools of Oriental Research Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA.

November 18, 2007 - Qumran Visualization Project Chief Architect and Designer Robert R. Cargill will present a paper entitled "The Archaeology of Qumran: The Digitally Reconstructed Settlement and a Proposed Occupation Model" to the 'Computer Assisted Research' section at the annual meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature in San Diego, CA.

November 19, 2007 - UCLA alum and DePauw University professor Dr. Russell Arnold will present a paper entitled "'And They Answered and Said': Reading Ritual Practice at Qumran" to the 'Ritual in the Biblical World' section section at the annual meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature in San Diego, CA.

December 3 , 2007 - Qumran Visualization Project Director, William M. Schniedewind, will present a lecture at the San Diego Natural History Museum entitled, "Interpreting the 'Word of God' in the Dead Sea Scrolls" as a part of the museum's Distinguished Lecture Series.

NEWS: New look at Dead Sea scrolls discovery site (Spero News)

Here's another article from Spero news. Read the link here.

NEWS: Qumran Settlement Shows Evidence of Fortress (Archaeologica MP3 podcast)

Here is the link to the Archaeologica podcast of the news story about Virtual Qumran. (I personally liked the part about 'a band of mighty warriors called the Hasmoneans'.)

NEWS: Armchair Archeologists Can Explore Qumran Virtually (JewishJournal)

Here is the link to one of the first articles about the completed Qumran Visualization Project from the Jewish Journal.

NEWS: Virtual Qumran Sheds New Light On Dead Sea Scrolls Discovery Site (ScienceDaily)

Here is the link to the Science Daily article about the Qumran Visualization Project.

Virtual Qumran Movie Trailers #1 & #2 posted on YouTube

I've posted the first two trailers for the "Ancient Qumran: A Virtual Reality Tour" movie. I wrote and produced the film for the San Diego Natural History Museum's exhibition of the Dead Sea Scrolls. THE ACTUAL SHOW IN SAN DIEGO IS IN HD.

Trailer 1 | Trailer 2

NEWS: Warriors May Have Occupied Dead Sea Scrolls Site (FoxNews)

Here's the link to the Live Science article by Heather Whipps.