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The Copper Scroll Project: An Ancient Secret Fuels the Battle for the Temple Mount
The history behind the Copper Scroll and the true story of Jim Barfield’s quest for its treasure.
Whether the objects are of legend or history, certain ancient mysteries arrest the imaginations of every generation. These antiquities refuse to be forgotten by the human spirit—hidden sufficiently to evade discovery, but historically prominent enough to leave a smattering of clues. Many explorers have fallen prey to fortune’s siren call, spending their lifetimes searching for the artifacts that promise to alter human history.
The Copper Scroll Project is a relative newcomer to the modern treasure hunt. Part of the Dead Sea Scrolls collection, the Copper Scroll is unlike any of the leather and papyrus documents, though not simply for its copper plates. The relic reads like a coded map, listing dozens of hiding spots where tithes and vessels thought to be secreted from the Jewish Temple were stored for safekeeping. More than fifty years after archaeologists found this unique artifact in a cave near Qumran, four adventurers have dared to chase after the scroll’s priceless relics.
“A unique introduction not only to a famous biblical mystery but to the world of American Christian interest in Israel, which remains opaque or bewildering to many outsiders, and is often caricatured.”—Matti Friedman, author of The Aleppo Codex
“Equal parts mystery, treasure hunt and erudite elucidation of biblical history.”—Chanan Tigay, author of The Last Moses
“Neese’s narrative pacing and story-telling is masterful. She gets the political and religious nuances of contemporary Israel.”—Elliot Jager, Jerusalem-based author and former editorial page editor at The Jerusalem Post
Whether the objects are of legend or history, certain ancient mysteries arrest the imaginations of every generation. These antiquities refuse to be forgotten by the human spirit—hidden sufficiently to evade discovery, but historically prominent enough to leave a smattering of clues. Many explorers have fallen prey to fortune’s siren call, spending their lifetimes searching for the artifacts that promise to alter human history.
The Copper Scroll Project is a relative newcomer to the modern treasure hunt. Part of the Dead Sea Scrolls collection, the Copper Scroll is unlike any of the leather and papyrus documents, though not simply for its copper plates. The relic reads like a coded map, listing dozens of hiding spots where tithes and vessels thought to be secreted from the Jewish Temple were stored for safekeeping. More than fifty years after archaeologists found this unique artifact in a cave near Qumran, four adventurers have dared to chase after the scroll’s priceless relics.
“A unique introduction not only to a famous biblical mystery but to the world of American Christian interest in Israel, which remains opaque or bewildering to many outsiders, and is often caricatured.”—Matti Friedman, author of The Aleppo Codex
“Equal parts mystery, treasure hunt and erudite elucidation of biblical history.”—Chanan Tigay, author of The Last Moses
“Neese’s narrative pacing and story-telling is masterful. She gets the political and religious nuances of contemporary Israel.”—Elliot Jager, Jerusalem-based author and former editorial page editor at The Jerusalem Post
- GenresNonfiction
349 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 31, 2020
84 people are currently reading
58 people want to read
About the author
Shelley Neese
3 books10 followersShelley Neese is the Vice President of The Jerusalem Connection International (TJCI), a nonprofit Christian organization based out of Washington DC. TJCI’s mission is to inform, educate, and activate support for Israel and the Jewish people. Shelley lived and studied in Israel from 2000-2004, where she learned conversational Hebrew and received her M.A in Middle Eastern Studies from Ben Gurion University of the Negev. Shelley has been present for the most central events in The Copper Scroll Project over the last decade, including the initial excavation at Qumran in 2009. She currently resides in Washington DC with her four children and husband, a Lieutenant Colonel and family physician in the U.S. Air Force.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
May 4, 2019
Fascinating book. Love the way it's written. Never knew anything about the Copper Scroll before. Will be looking forward to seeing what plays out in Israel's future.
March 18, 2019
I really enjoyed this book
It is amazing how we are all experiencing a increase in knowledge. This book helps me understand the quagmire that has happened in Jerusalem and the middle East. It reassures me that no matter how complicated life gets, God is in control
It is amazing how we are all experiencing a increase in knowledge. This book helps me understand the quagmire that has happened in Jerusalem and the middle East. It reassures me that no matter how complicated life gets, God is in control
May 25, 2019
This non-fiction book reads more like a novel. It is the story of Jim Barfield and how he has descaled the secrets of the Copper Scroll (one of the Dead Sea Scrolls that is made out of copper instead of parchment). He then searches for the Temple treasures to see if he has correctly interpreted the Copper Scroll's code. That's all I'll tell so I won't give anything away. It's the story of Barfield's journey.
August 14, 2019
Could not put the book down. Great chronology of one man’s passion for the Copper Scroll. I know a lot more about the Dead Sea Scrolls, Qumran and the Cooper Scroll before o started. The book ends abruptly and I felt the postscript could have given a little more information. Otherwise I highly recommend.
July 11, 2019
Excellent
Excellent organization of information and a compelling and fascinating read. Ancient and modern Israel both come alive for the reader.
Excellent organization of information and a compelling and fascinating read. Ancient and modern Israel both come alive for the reader.
March 31, 2019
Interesting story about the Copper Scroll treasure. It is a whodunit that mostly stays on the rails. It only goes off course when Jeremiah and the first temple are brought in. The intrigue with the Israeli government not wanting anything to do with the Temple really adds to the mystery. While this story is complete, we know the Copper Scroll and its treasure still has a future. Hopefully I will live to see some of it excavated.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews