Friday, January 05, 2018

Reading the discarded papyri of mummy cases

TECHNOLOGY WATCH: Scan technique reveals secret writing in mummy cases (Pallab Ghosh, BBC).
Researchers in London have developed scanning techniques that show what is written on the papyrus that mummy cases are made from.

These are the decorated boxes into which the wrapped body of the deceased was placed before it was put in a tomb.

They are made from scraps of papyrus which were used by ancient Egyptians for shopping lists or tax returns.

[...]
This sounds like a technique that should work on mummy masks as well. They are constructed in a similar way with discarded manuscripts. This would be a much better approach than dismantling them with Palmolive soap.

Bit by bit, a letter at a time, whatever it takes. Until we're done.

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