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  • From: Rochelle Altman <willaa AT netvision.net.il>
  • To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] DSS bookshop products
  • Date: Sat, 11 Feb 2006 07:15:32 +0200


At 10:37 PM 2/10/2006, Dave W. wrote:

Uh, who made it, and where, and when, and did they give any backing of any
kind?

Hi, Dave,

Who made them (more than one, you know)? Now I have a time machine?
What you're asking is where was the bookshop. Possibly at the Khirbet..

When? An educated guess is 1st BCE.

Backing? Bookshops just need a master scribe who decides there's a market for the products. He starts out by himself. Next step --: enough clients to warrant hiring two to four scribes.; All that's needed is a small amount of capital and a couple of square meters of space to work in.
It was normal for clients pay for the materials in advance. It's the labor of writing that's paid for when the product is delivered. No reason to think that bookshops in Judea were run on a different basis then those in Rome or anywhere else. BTW, the Romans had official price lists on quality levels, etc..

It's the type of business that can be run just about anywhere you can find a workspace to rent and work in. It's labor intensive, but profitable. It's also the kind of thing we could expect at a place like Khirbet Qumran.

See my note to Ken.

Rochelle



On Friday 10 February 2006 13:25, Ken Penner wrote:
> I'd be interested to hear your support for the following claim:
> > Examples of bookshop products may be found among the DSS.
>
> Ken Penner
> Dead Sea Scrolls scholars' list owner,
> http://mailman.mcmaster.ca/mailman/listinfo/g-megillot McMaster/DSS
> _______________________________________________
>
Dave Washburn
http://www.nyx.net/~dwashbur
"Maybe I'll trade it for a new hat."





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