Qumran (; ) is an archaeological site in the
West Bank managed by Israel's Qumran National Park. It is located on a dry
plateau about a mile from the northwestern shore of the
Dead Sea, near the
Israeli settlement and
kibbutz of
Kalya. The
Hellenistic period settlement was constructed during the reign of
John Hyrcanus, or somewhat later, and was occupied most of the time until it was destroyed by the Romans in or shortly after. It is best known as the settlement nearest to the
Qumran Caves where the
Dead Sea Scrolls were hidden, caves in the sheer
desert cliffs and beneath, in the
marl terrace. The principal excavations at Qumran were conducted by
Roland de Vaux in the 1950s, though several later campaigns at the site have been carried out.