History Within History: Oldest Known Torah Scroll Discovered In Oldest University In The Western World
Italian professor Mauro Perani believes to have the oldest and most complete Torah scroll known to man after discovering the document in the University of Bologna.
The university, which also happens to be the oldest university in the western world, housed the document, which reportedly can be dated back to somewhere between the 12th and 13th century.
With carbon dating tests, it could be up to around 850 years old, reported The Washington Post.
"The value of this discovery is due to its rarity and to the importance that the Torah has for Jews and Judaism," explained Perani.
"This was a scroll for liturgical use in the synagogue, with just consonants spelled out."
Reportedly composed of 58 sections of soft sheep leather, the scroll is 36 meters long and 64 centimeters wide.
Complete ancient Torah scrolls are difficult to find in good quality because when they are damaged, they can no longer be used for liturgies and are buried.
"This scroll has been at the University of Bologna library for centuries," said Peroni.
"It's very possible that at some time it came into the possession of a monastery, was later taken to Paris after Napoleon suppressed the monastic and religious orders, and finally restored to Bologna after Napoleon's collapse."
In an interview with National Geographic, Peroni explained that due to a simple mislabeling, the scroll was forgotten about in the archives. But it was also thanks to the equally ancient University of Bologna that such an important scroll was preserved so carefully.
And perhaps there will be more to come.
"We have fragments of other Torah scrolls from the Cairo Geniza that date to the same time or earlier, and they show identical styles to this copyist," said Peroni.
"Maybe we will find another Torah scroll that is older, but for now this is it."