Why did the discovery of new Dead Sea Scroll fragments in 2021 electrify the academic world?

The answer

In March 2021, Israeli archaeologists announced the discovery of new Dead Sea Scroll fragments in the Cave of Horror in the Judean Desert - the first new fragments found in 60 years. The pieces contain Greek translations of the books of Zechariah and Nahum from the Old Testament, dating to the 1st century CE during the Bar Kokhba revolt against Rome (132–136 CE). The expedition, led by the Israel Antiquities Authority, also found a 10,500-year-old intact woven basket - the oldest in the world - and a 6,000-year-old mummified child skeleton. Advanced DNA analysis of the scroll parchment revealed they were made from sheepskin, helping scholars group unidentified fragments.