Roland de Vaux (1903-1971) was a French Jesuit priest and archaeologist renowned for leading the team that discovered the Dead Sea Scrolls. As director of the École Biblique et Archéologique Française de Jérusalem, he conducted excavations at Qumran in the 1950s, uncovering ancient manuscripts that revolutionized biblical scholarship. His work significantly advanced the study of ancient Judaism and early Christianity.