There were two series of carbon dating tests performed on the Dead Sea Scrolls, one series by the AMS (Accelerator Mass Spectrometry) lab of the Zurich Institute of Technology in 1990 and a second by the AMS Facility at the University of Arizona in Tucson in 1994. There was also a historical test of a piece of linen performed in 1950 by Willard Libby, the inventor of the dating method.
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The following table shows all the Qumran-related samples that were tested by Zurich (Z), Tucson (T) and Libby (L). The column headed "14C Age" provides a raw age before 1950 for each sample tested. This represents the ideal date for the amount of 14C measured for the sample. However, as there is fluctuation from year to year as to the quantity of 14 absorbed by all life, the figure needs to be calibrated based on the known fluctuation. This calibrated range of dates is represented in the last column, given with a 2-sigma error rating, which means at 95% confidence. (Although the tests included documents which were not from Qumran, with the exception of the Wadi ed-Daliyeh deed these will not be listed below.)
The texts are ordered chronologically, based on their 14C age.
| - | Lab | Description | 14C Age | Calibrated Age (2-sigma)[1] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Z | (Wadi-Daliyeh deed) | 2289 +/- 55 | 408-203 BCE |
| 2 | Z | Testament of Qahat | 2240 +/- 39 | 395-181 BCE |
| 3 | T | 1QIsaiaha | 2141 +/- 32 | 351-295 or 230-53 BCE |
| 4 | Z | Frg. 3 (from 4Q365?) | 2139 +/- 32 | 351-296 or 230-53 BCE |
| 5 | Z | 1QIsaiaha | 2128 +/- 38 | 351-296 or 230-48 BCE |
| 6 | Z | 4Q213 Levia ar | 2125 +/- 24 | 344-324 or 203-53 BCE |
| 7 | T | 4Q249 pap cryptA | 2097 +/- 50 | 349-304 or 228 BCE-18 CE |
| 8 | Z | 4Q53Samuelc | 2095 +/- 49 | 349-318 or 228 BCE-18 CE |
| 9 | T | 4Q208 (4QEnastrA) | 2095 +/- 20 | 172-48 BCE |
| 10 | T | 4Q267 | 2094 +/- 29 | 198-3 BCE |
| 11 | T | 4Q317 Phases of the Moon | 2084 +/- 30 | 196-1 BCE |
| 12 | T | 1QpHab Habakkuk Commentary | 2054 +/- 22 | 160-148 or 111 BCE-2 CE |
| 13 | T | 4Q22 paleoExodusm | 2044 +/- 65 | 342-324 or 203 BCE-83 CE or 105-115 CE |
| 14 | T | 1QS Community Rule | 2041 +/- 68 | 344-323 or 203 BCE-122 CE |
| 15 | Z | 11Q19 Temple Scroll | 2030 +/- 32 | 166 BCE-67 CE |
| 16 | T | 4Q22 paleoExodusm patch | 2024 +/- 39 | 161-146 or 113 BCE-70 CE |
| 17 | Z | 1QApGen Genesis Apocryphon | 2013 +/- 32 | 89 BCE-118 CE |
| 18 | T | 4Q521 Messianic Apocalypse | 1984 +/- 33 | 49 BCE-116 CE |
| 19 | Z | 1QH Thanksgiving Scroll | 1979 +/- 32 | 47 BCE-118 CE |
| 20 | T | 4Q258 Comm. Rule, 2nd sample | 1964 +/- 45 | 50 BCE-130 CE |
| 21 | T | 4Q266 Damascus Documenta | 1954 +/- 38 | 44 BCE-129 CE |
| 22 | T | 4Q171 Psalms Commentarya | 1944 +/- 23 | 3-126 CE |
| 23 | T | 4Q258 Comm. Rule, 1st sample | 1823 +/- 24 | 129-255 or 303-318 CE |
| 24 | T | Qumran 4Q Linen with leather thong | 2069 +/- 40 | 197 BCE-46 CE |
| 25 | L | Qumran 1Q linen | 1917 +/- 200 | 390 BCE-600 CE |
Many of the date ranges provided are actually two date ranges, for example the Habakkuk Commentary (#12), which is given as 160-148 or 111-2 CE. The section of the calibration curve for the 14C age of the Habakkuk Commentary is complex, so that the 14C age of 2054 cuts through a few spikes on the curve, providing two date ranges.
The Great Isaiah Scroll 1QIsaa was tested twice, once at Zurich and once at Tucson. The results were almost identical which was a good indicator of the basic accuracy of this dating method. 1QS (#14), tested at Zurich, and 4QSamc (#8), tested at Tucson, provide overlapping date ranges, which is to be expected when both texts are attributed to the same scribe.[2] When 4Q258 (#23) was tested at Tucson its result was so anomalous (129-255 or 303-318 CE) that the laboratory was asked to retest another sample from the same document. The second test (#20) yielded a result (50 BCE-130 CE) that was deemed more satisfactory.