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From damage to discovery via virtual unwrapping: Reading the scroll from En-Gedi - PubMed

  • ️Fri Jan 01 2016

From damage to discovery via virtual unwrapping: Reading the scroll from En-Gedi

William Brent Seales et al. Sci Adv. 2016.

Abstract

Computer imaging techniques are commonly used to preserve and share readable manuscripts, but capturing writing locked away in ancient, deteriorated documents poses an entirely different challenge. This software pipeline-referred to as "virtual unwrapping"-allows textual artifacts to be read completely and noninvasively. The systematic digital analysis of the extremely fragile En-Gedi scroll (the oldest Pentateuchal scroll in Hebrew outside of the Dead Sea Scrolls) reveals the writing hidden on its untouchable, disintegrating sheets. Our approach for recovering substantial ink-based text from a damaged object results in readable columns at such high quality that serious critical textual analysis can occur. Hence, this work creates a new pathway for subsequent textual discoveries buried within the confines of damaged materials.

Keywords: Micro-CT; digital flattening; digital restoration; segmentation; virtual unwrapping; visualization.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1. The charred scroll from En-Gedi.

Image courtesy of the Leon Levy Dead Sea Scrolls Digital Library, IAA. Photo: S. Halevi.

Fig. 2
Fig. 2. Completed virtual unwrapping for the En-Gedi scroll.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3. Segmentation challenges in the En-Gedi scroll, based on examples in the slice view.

Double/split layering and challenging cell structure (left), ambiguous layers with unknown material (middle left), high-density “bubbling” on the secondary layer (middle right), and gap in the primary layer (right).

Fig. 4
Fig. 4. A portion of the segmented surface and how it intersects the volume.
Fig. 5
Fig. 5. The importance of accurate surface localization on the final generated texture.

(A) Texture generated when the surface is only partially localized. (B) Texture generated when surface is accurately localized.

Fig. 6
Fig. 6. The geometric parameters for directional texturing.
Fig. 7
Fig. 7. The effect of directional texturing to improve ink response.

(Left) Intersection of the mesh with the volume. (Right) Directional texturing with a neighborhood radius of 7 voxels.

Fig. 8
Fig. 8. Demonstration of stored provenance chain.

The generated geometric transformations can map a region and point of interest in the master view (left) back to their 3D positions within the volume (right).

Fig. 9
Fig. 9. Partial transcription and translation of recovered text.

(Column 1) Lines 5 to 7 from the En-Gedi scroll.

Fig. 10
Fig. 10. Timeline placing the En-Gedi scroll within the context of other biblical discoveries.

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References

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