Hidden in Plain Sight: An Exploration of Innovative Technologies

When: Wednesday 08 July, 16.30-18.30
Where: Parkinson Building: Treasures of the Brotherton Gallery
Open to: IMC Delegates
Price: Free
How to Book: No Booking Required, Free of Charge

a piece of equipment examining a section of a page in a medieval book.

Directed by Noam Lefler, David Mills, Maciej Pawlikowski and Eyal Poleg

Medieval manuscripts are complex objects, whose material analysis can shed light on their creation and use. Innovative scientific technologies can reveal hidden elements and help unfold the complex history of the book. The first hour of this session, Seen in a New Light, will demonstrate how complex imaging techniques such as multispectral imaging and photometric stereoscopy can be used to explore the surface of manuscripts. The second hour, Beneath the Surface, will offer a live demonstration of the use of a portable micro-CT scanner and fibre-optic spectroscopy to explore beneath the surface of manuscripts.

Come and learn how new technologies can transform the way we study medieval books and objects. In this session, our team of scientists and historians will show how non-invasive imaging techniques can provide new insights into the materiality of the page, taking manuscript studies in new directions. You’ll also learn more about the work and discoveries of the major AHRC-funded Hidden in Plain Sight research project, which furthers the use of advanced scientific technologies within historical studies. We have been employing new technologies to assist in studying the alteration and transformation of books and textual objects, evident, for example, in mutilation, folding, or overpainting. The project team will join the IMC to present findings from the project and to introduce key scientific methods, their potential, and limitations. You are also welcome to our reception on Tuesday, where the team will be happy to answer questions or ideas related to your own research over drinks and nibbles.

Workshop leaders include Noam Lefler, Research Associate (Queen Mary University of London), David Mills, Senior Lecturer in Imaging and Calcified Tissue (Queen Mary University of London), Maciej Pawlikowski, Head of the Cultural Heritage Imaging Lab (Cambridge University Library) and Eyal Poleg, Professor of Material History (Queen Mary University of London).