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Archimedes Manuscript - The Palimpsest

  1. Aug 5, 2006 #1

    Astronuc

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    The Palimpsest
    The History of the Archimedes Manuscript.

    http://www.archimedespalimpsest.org/palimpsest_history1.html [Broken]

    Imaging the Palimpsest
    http://www.archimedespalimpsest.org/imaging_initialtrials1.html [Broken]
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 22, 2017 at 12:00 PM
  2. jcsd
  3. Apr 28, 2007 #2

    Astronuc

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    Text reveals more ancient secrets
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6591221.stm
    How cool is that!? :cool:
     
  4. Apr 28, 2007 #3

    Evo

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    I know parchment was hard to come by at times, but how could anyone destroy such great works to write prayer books? It's mind boggling.
     
  5. Apr 28, 2007 #4
    Not really, placed in historical context it is quite explanable.
    The church was everything in these times, Greek philosophy was hardly tolerated.

    And by analogy, it might very well be the case that for instance most people in the future are mind boggled about the destruction of the rainforests in our time.
     
    Last edited: Apr 28, 2007
  6. Apr 28, 2007 #5
    The articles on the Palimpsest that I've read have mentioned that were it not for the reuse of these parchments it's likely the original works would have been lost forever. By preserving these recycled prayer books, the Christian monks preserved the ancient manuscripts as well, however unwittingly.
     
  7. Apr 28, 2007 #6

    Evo

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    True, but a lot was also lost. They could have just as easily stored the originals without destroying them, but as mejennifer pointed out, they weren't as significant during those times.

    There is a similar restoration going on with ancient texts being salvaged from an Egyptian garbage dump.
     
  8. Apr 29, 2007 #7

    Astronuc

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    We can be grateful that the manuscripts were preserved. Think of what has been destroyed throughout history, e.g. during the destruction of the Library of Alexandria.

    It is amazing that anything written before the Dark Ages survived! And given the parchment is organic material, I am always amazed that stuff survives for 2000 years or more. I wonder what will survive 2000 years hence.
     
  9. Apr 29, 2007 #8

    arildno

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    Hmm..the palimpsest is from the 9th century.

    Archimedes' text (or rather the 9th century copy of it) was rubbed out some centuries later.
     
  10. Apr 29, 2007 #9

    Astronuc

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  11. Apr 30, 2007 #10

    arildno

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    No. The Dead Sea Scrolls is from the 4th century.
    They are definitely not from the 1st century, since it is a collection of texts heavily influenced by Gnostic ideas.

    Gnosticism developed during the 2nd century, not the 1st.
     
  12. Apr 30, 2007 #11

    arildno

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    Indeed we should be thankful for that. :smile:
     
  13. Jun 22, 2007 #12
    ????
    where did you get that date

    btw Gnosticism was early and was wiped out by the 4th or a little there after
    post the mainstream church take over there was the arian sub-cult
    I date the Gnosticism as a very early christian sub cult
    but donot see it as the dead sea cults main idea as they were jews
    and the books were hidden about the fall of the temple in the early 70's
     
  14. Jun 22, 2007 #13
    btw the christians burned far far more older books then they saved

    old quote
    ''the church fathers use the ancient knowlage to heat their bath waters''
    some because they hated learning and also because they did not want the roots of their religion traced to the older beliefs
     
  15. Jul 1, 2007 #14

    Astronuc

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    Some background on the Dead Sea Scrolls.

    http://www.ibiblio.org/expo/deadsea.scrolls.exhibit/world.scrolls.html#deadsea

     
  16. Jul 2, 2007 #15

    arildno

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  17. Jul 2, 2007 #16

    Astronuc

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  18. Jul 2, 2007 #17

    arildno

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    Those were the ones I was thinking about..
     
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