Ancient Qumran: A Virtual Reality Tour is a computer-generated film and virtual model offering a theoretical reconstruction of the ancient Khirbet Qumran site, renowned for its connection to the Dead Sea Scrolls. Authored by UCLA scholars Robert Cargill and William Schniedewind, the project aimed to vividly illustrate daily life at Qumran and resolve long-standing archaeological controversies.
In 2007, their extensive 3D model led to the conclusion that Qumran was initially a fortress, later resettled by the Essenes—an early Jewish community who brought and copied the scrolls there. This virtual environment, meticulously built using sophisticated 3D modeling tools and site photographs, allowed archaeologists to test theories and reveal architectural elements previously unseen.
The innovative project, which synthesizes competing historical interpretations, has been described as setting a new standard for Qumran archaeology. Funded in part by Steven Spielberg’s Righteous Persons Foundation and exhibited at the San Diego Natural History Museum, the tour offers an engaging journey back in time to a site pivotal in the history of Judaism and Christianity.