Imaging Papyri at Oxford

Lead Research Organisation: University of Oxford
Department Name: Classics Faculty

Abstract

This is an on-going project to capture digitised images of Greek and Latin papyrus manuscripts at Oxford and Naples, for the creation of a data-bank of digitised images of these papyri, and the publication in electronic form or of new critical editions and translations based on gains in readings achieved through the electronic form or of new critical editions and translations based on gains in readings achieved through the images.

Publications

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Obbink D (2006) 'A New Archilochus Poem' in Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik

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Ware G A (2008) Multispectral Images of Selected Oxyrhynchus Papyri

 
Description The collection of papyri housed at Oxford represents a sizeable amount of ancient manuscripts, published and unpublished, of Greek and Latin authors and historical documents (3rd century BC-7th century AD). Housed in the Ashmolean (mainly from Oxyrhynchus in Egypt) and in the Bodleian (from Herculaneum in Italy), the latter are largely the works of the Epicurean philosopher Philodemus (ca. 110-40 BC), which were carbonised and thus preserved by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD. More originals are housed in the Biblioteca Nazionale in Naples. Working on this collection is very painstaking: the aim is to reconstruct as much as possible of each original papyrus roll and then to reconstruct the text. The reconstruction requires a constant sequence of conjecture, objection, improvement, and eventually, agreement. No single scholar can see all that needs to be done. Accordingly, this project has created a database of digitised images of papyri, photographs, and facsimiles at Oxford, internationally renowned as a centre for the study of ancient manuscripts, which facilitates instantaneous transmission of images to collaborators and other interested parties, and allows for re-combination and collation of pieces preserved separately. Since the images are permanently storable, a welcome by-product comes in the reduced user wear on the delicate original papyri and facsimiles.
Exploitation Route The fundamental goal of this project was to not only produce images that help improve scholarly work on ancient papyrus manuscripts, but provide images to the academic community at large for didactic purposes. Through the Oxyrhynchus online website, images of published papyri are downloadable according to a copyright agreement. More importantly, the project's work and experimentation in Multispectral Imaging (MSI) techniques resulted in new MSI kits, and this technology is the springboard from which further advancement in the field will emerge.
Sectors Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Education,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections
 
Description The Imaging Papyri project, through the Oxyrhynchus Online website, freely provides images for academic and didactic purposes at all levels. In aiming to improve the study of ancient papyrus manuscripts, the project simultaneously engages in education outreach. As a part of Oxyrhynchus Online, it receives around 42,000 'hits' per month.
First Year Of Impact 2006
Sector Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Education,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections
Impact Types Cultural
 
Title Database of images of Oxyrhynchus, Herculaneum, and related papyri, with associated meta-data, cataloguing, texts and translations 
Description Complete collection of all papyri published to date in The Oxyrhynchus Papyri series, including high and low resolution images, and associated metadata, etc. Also contains images and data from Herculaneum and elsewhere, links to media reports and other related projects. 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Provided To Others? No  
Impact Available for scholarly consultation online, this website has facilitated research without the need to necessarily physically view the papyri themselves on every occasion, whilst simultaneously enabling public accessibility and hence stimulating more general interest. 
URL http://www.papyrology.ox.ac.uk/
 
Title Oxyrhynchus: A City and its Texts 
Description This was created to celebrate one hundred years of publication of The Oxyrhynchus Papyri volumes. It contains images and descriptions of papyri and photographs/artefacts associated with the city of Oxyrhynchus, as well as linking to the main POxy database, containing images of every papyri published in the series. 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Provided To Others? No  
Impact Increased (non-specialist) public awareness of the importance of Oxyrhynchus in particular and papyrology in general for the study of the ancient world and the context of the discoveries made during the Victorian and Edwardian periods. Use by specialists of the online papyri database as a research tool. 
URL http://www.papyrology.ox.ac.uk/POxy
 
Title The Friends of Herculaneum Society 
Description Contains history and details of Herculaneum and the carbonised papyri discovered at the site, as well as links to practical and background information, plus a link to the Herculaneum papyri indexed image database. 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Provided To Others? No  
Impact The society has raised significant political and public awareness about Herculaneum papyri and the conservation challenges faced, whilst also supporting research and scholarship, via bursaries, a series of publications and the creation of an archive of research materials. Internationally it has encouraged the foundation of an equivalent society in the USA. 
URL http://www.herculaneum.ox.ac.uk
 
Company Name Oxford Multispectral Ltd 
Description A company commercialising an MSI scanning device, which uses different wavelengths of light to detect faded or erased ink, for analysing manuscripts and archived documents, as well as modern forgeries. 
Year Established 2011 
Impact Their flat-bed scanner produced works by capturing a series of images using different wavelength light sources from infrared to ultraviolet. A computer program then combines them to emphasise the specific colour light absorbed by the faded ink in order to make it appear more clearly. It could be used to analyse altered or counterfeit documents such as forged passports, bank notes or forensic evidence.