Phylacteries from Qumran

Pieces of Parchment Used as Phylacteries (Tefillin) Discovered at Qumran Containing Portions of Exod 13:1-3

Based on the command in Deut 6:8 and Exod 13:9, 16, Jews of the second-Temple period wore phylacteries (tefillin). Jews wrote four selections from the Torah, typically Exod 13:1-10; 13:11-16 and Deut 6:4-9; 11:13-21) in small characters on pieces of elongated writing material. Placing these in two leather cases, Jews would wear one case on the forehead and the other on the left arm "as a sign upon your hand and a symbol on your forehead that with a mighty hand the Lord freed us from Egypt" (Exod 13:9, 16). Jesus makes reference to the fact that the Pharisees wore phylacteries: "They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long" (Matt 23:5). Both phylactery cases and their contents have been found in the Qumran region, the earliest such remains.

Leather Phylactery Cases
(First century BCE-first century CE)

length 3.2 cm (1 1/4 in.), width 1 cm (3/8 in.)

This phylactery case consists of two pieces of leather stitched together. It has four chambers each designed to hold a phylactery (tefillin), and is meant to be worn on the forehead.

length 1.3 cm (1/2 in.), width 2.1 cm (13/16 in.)

Intended to be worn on the arm, this phylactery case has a single compartment for a phylactery (tefillin). It is made of one piece of leather folded in two and then stiched together. A leather thong was inserted at the middle.