Text Density, Scroll Carrying Capacity and Pre-Biblical Sources: How a Hellenistic Period Shift in Text Density is Relevant to Hypotheses about the Formation of the (Hebrew) Bible

This article explores a notable shift in text density of alphabetic Aramaic and Hebrew texts toward the outset of the Hellenistic Period. We conducted a broad survey, measuring text density (letter spaces per square centimeter), across documentary and literary texts from the Iron Age to Roman periods. Our analysis confirms that there is a significant shift in text density around the late 4^th century BCE, one seen across genres, writing media, and writing implements. We quantify and explore this shift’s implications for study of the formation of the Pentateuch and the rest of the Hebrew Bible.