The Dead Sea Scrolls were written approximately between the 3rd century BCE and the 1st century CE. Most scholars date the scrolls from around 250 BCE to 50 CE, with some variation depending on specific manuscripts. The scrolls were discovered in 11 caves near Qumran by the Dead Sea and include a wide range of texts, including biblical manuscripts, religious writings, and sectarian texts. These scrolls are considered the oldest surviving manuscripts of many biblical books and provide significant insight into the textual transmission of these works over time. The dates reflect a period of about 300 years during which the scrolls were produced and preserved, likely by a Jewish sect such as the Essenes, in a time leading up to and including the early Roman period in the region.