Lost pages of 6th-century manuscript recovered using "ghost text" imaging technology

Using advanced imaging technology, scholars have recovered 42 "lost" pages from a 6th-century manuscript known as Codex H. This rare New Testament document, which contains the Letters of Saint Paul, was not simply lost to time but was deliberately dismantled and repurposed by medieval monks for book repairs and recycling.

Researchers from the Early Manuscripts Electronic Library (EMEL) utilized multispectral imaging to reveal "ghost text" — faint ink traces transferred onto neighboring leaves centuries ago, News.Az reports, citing Medievalists.

While the physical pages were scattered across various libraries worldwide due to their reuse, this digital reconstruction has allowed historians to retrieve multiple pages of information from single surviving sheets.

The discovery provides significant insight into early biblical organization, including chapter lists that differ from modern divisions, and offers a rare look at the material practices of medieval manuscript preservation and repurposing.

News.Az 

By Leyla Şirinova