The ancient artifact discovered in 1947, which provided a wealth of knowledge about Jewish history, is the Dead Sea Scrolls. Found in caves near the Dead Sea, these scrolls include texts from the Hebrew Bible, along with other sectarian writings that shed light on Jewish beliefs and practices during the Second Temple period. The documents date from around the third century BCE to the first century CE and provide crucial insights into early Judaism, the origins of Christianity, and the historical context of biblical texts. Their discovery is considered one of the most significant archaeological finds in the 20th century.