'Roots, Remedies and Properties of Stones’: The Essenes and Dead Sea Pharmacology

Challenges to the Qumran-Essene hypothesis have used regional contextualisations to argue that Qumran was not occupied by Essenes, but a similar approach may be used to support the hypothesis. Essene proximity to the Dead Sea is noted by both Pliny the Elder and Dio Chrysostom, while Josephus mentions that the Essenes are interested in ‘roots, remedies and properties of stones’ ( War 2: 136). The Dead Sea was well-known for its healing resources in antiquity. There were numerous medicinal plants in the area—including opobalsam, dates, mandrake and madder. The curative properties of bitumen, alum, salt and sulphur were well known, as were the healing spa waters at Callirhoë. An interest in exploiting some of these resources—particularly dates—for pharmacology would explain why the Essenes chose to live close to the Dead Sea. The scrolls themselves contain material on healing that deserves further study. Aspects of the archaeology of the site of Qumran may also be interpreted in the light of pharmacological interests.