Precise chronological attribution for ancient inscribed documents, such as the remarkable Dead Sea Scrolls, is indispensable for charting the progression of intellectual thought. However, a significant deficiency exists in the scarcity of manuscripts bearing explicit date markers. To surmount this obstacle, a global consortium of researchers has developed an artificial intelligence-driven predictive dating mechanism, christened Enoch in homage to a biblical figure. This model was meticulously trained utilizing a corpus of 24 meticulously dated scroll samples.
Dead Sea Scroll 4Q7, a fragment of the Book of Genesis found in Wadi Qumran Cave 4. Image credit: KetefHinnomFan.
While certain historical texts are accompanied by explicit dating information, affording archaeologists a concrete understanding of their era of creation, a substantial number of manuscripts lack such temporal identifiers.
Through the meticulous examination of calligraphic evolution across different epochs, scholars can sometimes ascertain the approximate antiquity of undated manuscripts by scrutinizing their script characteristics.
Nevertheless, the efficacy of this methodology hinges upon the availability of a sufficient quantity of dated manuscripts from the relevant historical period to construct a dependable framework of evolving handwriting styles.
In a groundbreaking recent investigation, Dr. Mladen Popović, affiliated with the University of Groningen, and his collaborators subjected historical manuscripts from diverse locales in contemporary Israel and the West Bank to radiocarbon dating. Subsequently, they employed sophisticated machine learning algorithms to scrutinize the penmanship of each document.
By harmonizing these two distinct datasets, they engineered the Enoch system. This AI leverages the stylistic nuances of handwriting from other regional manuscripts to objectively delineate a probable chronological range.
To validate the system’s capabilities, experts in ancient calligraphy rigorously assessed Enoch’s age estimations for 135 Dead Sea Scrolls.
These seasoned evaluators concluded that approximately 79% of the AI’s projected dates were indeed plausible, with the remaining 21% deemed either anachronistically old, anachronistically young, or inconclusive.
The Enoch platform has already facilitated novel revelations concerning these ancient inscribed artifacts for the research team.
For instance, both the Enoch model and radiocarbon dating methodologies suggested older temporal origins for numerous Dead Sea Scrolls when juxtaposed with conventional handwriting analysis techniques.
“While the incorporation of additional data and sustained inquiry may further illuminate the temporal landscape, our current research offers novel perspectives on the potential periods of creation for these documents,” the researchers stated.
“Through the Enoch instrument, we have effectively unlocked a novel portal into antiquity, akin to a temporal conduit, enabling us to meticulously study the hands that penned the Bible. This is particularly significant given our inaugural confirmation that two biblical scroll fragments originate from the era of their presumed authors.”
“It is profoundly exhilarating to achieve a significant milestone in resolving the dating quandary of the Dead Sea Scrolls and simultaneously forging an innovative apparatus that holds the potential for application to other historical collections of partially dated manuscripts.”
“This momentous accomplishment would not have been attainable without the synergistic collaboration of a multitude of scientific disciplines, representing a truly collective endeavor.”
A treatise detailing this research endeavor has been formally published in the esteemed journal PLoS ONE.
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M. Popović et al. 2025. Dating ancient manuscripts using radiocarbon and AI-based writing style analysis. PLoS One 20 (6): e0323185; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0323185
