Scientists reveal ancient texts in medieval manuscripts.

[dipsydoodle]

Using cutting-edge technology, European scientists have uncovered new fragments by Euripides and an unknown ancient commentary on Aristotle.

These writings were on parchments that were washed off and overwritten in medieval times. Using advanced multispectral imaging methods, the Palamedes project, based out of the Universities of Göttingen and Bologna were able to see the original writings in the manuscripts, one of which is located at the library of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in Jerusalem, while the t other can be found at the National Library of France in Paris.

The manuscript in Jerusalem originates from the famous Library of the Holy Sepulchre at Jerusalem. The uppermost text layer from the thirteenth century comprises the Prophetic Books of the Greek Old Testament, underlaid by older texts from various medieval manuscripts that contain works of Euripides and Aristotle, alongside theological tractates. “The manuscript in Jerusalem is one of the most significant witnesses to Euripides’ work”, explains the head of the research project, Felix Albrecht from Göttingen University’s Faculty of Theology. The manuscript contains the text of Euripides, surrounded by ancient annotations.

The manuscript in Paris preserves the remnants of an ancient philosophical manuscript from the late fifth century, the commentary of an unknown author on Aristotle’s work. It contains drawings of highest quality, which, due to their age, constitute important evidence for the textual tradition of philosophical commentaries. “The discovery of this work is of inestimable value for the history of philosophical education in the late antiquity”, says the discoverer of the manuscript, Dr. Chiara Faraggiana di Sarzana from Bologna University.

http://www.medievalists.net/2013/11/12/scientists-reveal-ancient-texts-in-medieval-manuscripts/

I recall reading elsewhere that Egyptian mummies were often wrapped in papyrus which had already been used/written on and that scientists were attempting to de-laminate some mummies accordingly to see what they find in the way of information.

[Tansy_Gold]

1. One of my very most favorite words

palimpsest

[pscot]

2. Did you see th PBS program

on the Archimedes Codex? Fascinating stuff. Those monks scribbled away for centuries, from Fulda to Istanbul and beyond. There must be wonderful thing hiding out there in church archives.

[Laelth]

3. Excellent. k&r for exposure. n/t

-Laelth

[dimbear]

4. The folks at BYU are also no slouches at multispectral analysis.

It's remarkable what's lying in museum drawers around the world that can be read now but couldn't be read before...........

One can get a bit of the experience by downloading digital copies of papyri and reworking them in graphics programs. More of that stuff comes on line practically every day.

[defacto7]

5. Fascinating!

Nothing for me to say... just a lot to learn!

[Thor_MN]

6. Hmmm, Kind of like taping Ishtar over impotant videos...

[Javaman]

7. "Egyptian mummies were often wrapped in papyrus which had already been used/written on"

Milton: Hey, Murry, we're all out of linen, now what?

Murry: ugh, I don't know, just use yesterdays newspaper, okay?

[dipsydoodle]

8. lol...........example here

The Milan Papyrus[1] is a papyrus roll inscribed in Alexandria in the late 3rd or early 2nd century BC during the rule of the Ptolemaic dynasty. Originally discovered by anonymous tomb raiders as part of a mummy wrapping, it was purchased in the papyrus "grey market" in Europe in 1992[2] by the University of Milan. Over six hundred previously unknown lines of Greek poetry are on the roll, representing about 112 brief poems, or epigrams. Two of these were already known and had been attributed by the 12th-century AD Byzantine scholar John Tzetzes to the Hellenistic epigrammatist Posidippus of Pella, a Macedonian who spent his literary career in Alexandria. The initial reaction has been to attribute all the new lines to Posidippus, though Franco Ferrari (link) suggests that there is evidence the manuscript is an anthology, in which Posidippus' epigrams predominated.

As the earliest surviving example of a Greek poetry book as well as the largest addition to the corpus of classical Greek poetry in many years, the tale of the discovery made The New York Times and National Geographic.[3]

Labelled the "Milan papyrus," it was published in a scholarly edition in 2001, edited by Guido Bastianini, Claudio Gallazzi and Colin Austin.[4] In 2002, Austin and Bastianini published a more popular edition,[5] Posidippi Pellaei Quae Supersunt Omnia, "all the surviving works of Posidippus of Pella", including the epigrams of the papyrus, with Italian and English translations. Scholars have rushed to mine this new trove of highly-conscious literary productions at the most sophisticated level that were created in a major center of Hellenistic culture.[6]

After a "standing-room only"[7] discussion at the American Philological Association annual meeting in January 2001,[8] a seminar on the Milan Papyrus was held at Harvard's Center for Hellenic Studies in April 2002, and international conferences were held at Milan, Florence and Cincinnati,[9] in November 2002.[10]

Scholarly work on the Milan Papyrus, on Posidippus, who is now revealed in a broader range of subjects, and on the Alexandrian literary epigram in general, was invigorated by the discovery and proceeds apace.[11]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milan_Papyrus

[Javaman]

9. All joking aside, I find this stuff really interesting. Thanks for the info. :) Cheers. nt

[dipsydoodle]

10. So do I.

What was almost tragic this year was that having been messed about by my sister coming over from OZ and a friend coming over from OH to see her daughter , both constantly changing the dates , I nearly booked a few weeks in Egypt starting early July. Fortunately I didn't so wasn't there when the trouble broke out.

I think I'll settle for the British Museum.

[Javaman]

11. The British Museum, I have heard, is amazing. One day I'll get to see it.

On a different note, just curious, but do you lindy hop?

[dipsydoodle]

12. Yes I do / can.

Mainly Savoy style but can manage Dean Collins / Hollywood style too. I started October '94 having seen a performance team and noticed that some steps were similar'ish to way I used to dance to "traditional jazz" here back in the early sixties.

9/11 I was mid Atlantic on my way to a dance camp outside of SF run by Rob and Diane. Needless to say I never arrived.

[Javaman]

13. How fun.

I have been dancing lindy since about '99. hard core lol for about 5 years after that, now for just enjoyment. Mainly Savoy here as well.

I had a chance a few years ago to meet Mr. Manning and watch him dance. Really nice guy.

[dipsydoodle]

14. Did loads of classes with Frankie

both here and the US. I was hardcore through to 2002 and then I started collecting banjos and fell into bad habits Just social dancing these days once maybe twice a week. We've got at least 3 DJs in London who only play '78s - music with flavour

Last year they named a street after Frankie in Herrang : http://www.yehoodi.com/comment/174679/local-road-renamed-frankie-man-2/

Nicest guy you could ever meet with an amazing laugh too.

[Javaman]

15. Dang, Yahoodi Radio...

sad to say, I haven't listen to it or gone to their site in quite a while

I used to love that site. Thanks for reminding me.

Yeah. He was a heck of a guy.

I don't dance as much as I used to, but I still enjoy watching the "young folks" dance lol on youtube.

It's just so much fun.

Cheers and keep dancing.

[didact]

16. Euripides trousers you buyides trousers

sorry