Researchers propose 364‑day calendar solved Dead Sea Scrolls mystery

Researchers have offered a new explanation for a long‑standing puzzle surrounding the Dead Sea Scrolls, suggesting that the Qumran sect indeed used a distinctive 364‑day calendar. The proposed system, composed of 52 weeks of exactly seven days, ensured that holidays always fell on the same weekday, providing a predictable liturgical schedule. However, because the calendar was 11 days shorter than the astronomical solar year, the community’s observances gradually drifted out of alignment with the seasons over time.

The study, which analyzes the textual evidence and astronomical calculations, argues that the Qumran community intentionally adopted this structure to maintain consistent weekly observances, even at the expense of seasonal accuracy. The findings shed light on how the sect balanced ritual regularity with the practical realities of a calendar that could not perfectly match the solar cycle. The research offers a plausible resolution to a mystery that has intrigued scholars for decades, illustrating the community’s deliberate calendrical choices and their long‑term implications.