TORONTO — The Royal Ontario Museum says its exhibition of Dead Sea Scrolls, opening in June, is one of the most important shows in the museum's history.

Fragments of 16 scrolls will be displayed during the six-month exhibition -- eight during the first three months, and eight others for the rest of the exhibition.

They include portions of the books of Genesis, Deuteronomy and Psalms. In addition, there will be a fragment of the Ten Commandments on display for a limited time.

The manuscripts, dating from about 250 BC to AD 68, are on loan from the Israel Antiquities Authority, which allows them to be exhibited in museums around the world for a maximum of three months.

Some are being readied by the organization for first-ever public display.

"This is a highly unique opportunity for a Canadian audience to view the Dead Sea Scrolls," said Risa Levitt Kohn, director of Jewish studies at San Diego State University and curator of the exhibition.

"Among the scrolls are some of the oldest discovered texts of the Hebrew Bible -- writings that have had lasting influence on western culture as they continue to resonate today."

More than 200 ancient artifacts from the Israel Antiquities Authority will also be displayed, including lamps, ossuaries, amphorae, jugs, stone table ware and architectural fragments from Herod's temple.

Objects from the ROM's own collection of Hellenistic objects from Jerusalem and the surrounding region, such as oil lamps and colourful Roman glass, will also be in the exhibition.

"Dead Sea Scrolls: Words That Changed the World" runs from June 27 to Jan. 3, 2010.