The Dead Sea Scrolls, once missing for 2000 years, are now available online in high resolution thanks to Google and the Israel Museum, Jerusalem. The project represents a first in using digital technology to open up historical texts to scholars and enthusiasts around the world. Users can zoom in on all five scrolls to examine 1200 megapixel images of the texts in precise detail.

“We are privileged to house in the Israel Museum's Shrine of the Book the best preserved and most complete Dead Sea Scrolls ever discovered,” said James S. Snyder, Anne and Jerome Fisher Director of the Israel Museum.

"They are of paramount importance among the touchstones of monotheistic world culture, and they represent unique highlights of our Museum's encyclopaedic holdings. Now, through our partnership with Google, we are able to bring these treasures to the broadest possible public."

The Great Isaiah Scroll can be searched by column, chapter, and verse, and comes with an English translation tool. Users can also submit translations of verses in their own languages.

The fives scrolls are the Temple Scroll, The Great Isaiah Scroll, The War Scroll, The Community Rule and The Commentary on Habakkuk.

“The Dead Sea Scrolls Project with the Israel Museum enriches and preserves an important part of world heritage by making it accessible to all on the internet,” said Professor Yossi Matias, Managing Director of Google’s R&D Center in Israel. “Having been involved in similar projects in the past, we have seen how people around the world can enhance their knowledge and understanding of key historical events by accessing documents and collections online."

The Dead Sea Scroll project continues in the vein of the Google Art Project, the Yad Vashem Holocaust Collection and the Google Prado Museum project.

Matias added: "We hope to make all existing knowledge in historical archives and collections available to all, including helping to put additional Dead Sea Scroll documents online.”