Magna Carta manuscript reveals its secrets: Scans uncover lost text hidden on a damaged section of 800-year-old parchment
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Text that was hidden on a damaged copy of the 1215 Magna Carta for more than 250 years has been uncovered.
The near-invisible words were revealed using groundbreaking multispectral imaging work at the British Library in London.
This work has been completed by library's conservators and scientists in preparation for next year's 800th anniversary of the sealing of the ancient charter.
The burnt copy of the Magna Carta is one of four original manuscripts from 1215 which survive.
The Magna Carta was the first document imposed upon a King of England by a group of his subjects, the feudal barons, in an attempt to limit his powers by law and protect their rights.
The scanned copy of the Magna Carta was damaged in the Cotton Library fire in 1731.
Staff at the library attempted to preserve it using 19th century techniques, by flattening it out and mounting it, which left some text almost impossible to see, Christina Duffy, an imaging scientist at the British Library explained in a blog post.
Now, multispectral imaging of the burnt copy – a non-destructive imaging technique - has been conducted and has revealed text that has not been visible for 250 years.
The 'burnt' Magna Carta (pictrured) was damaged in the Cotton Library fore in 1731 and staff at the library attempted to preserve it using 19th century techniques, by flattening it out and mounting it, which left some text almost impossible to see
Multispectral imaging (pictured left) – a non-destructive imaging technique - of the burnt copy has been conducted and has revealed text that has not been visible for 250 years. An image of the historical manuscript can be seen, right, under cyan lighting conditions
The content of the hidden text isn't new, because the four manuscripts have the same content, but the discovery is important nonetheless.
To clarify the contents of the damaged parchment, a team of experts first examined the original frames to determine their structure and composition.
All original mounting materials in contact with the charters were tested using different methods, such as infrared spectroscopy and pH tests, to determine their stability and compatibility with the new materials.
Once the charters were removed from the frames, near-infrared spectroscopy and high-resolution digital microscopy was used to investigate the condition of the ink and parchment to assess the overall condition of the historical document.
'With the frames and glass removed, there was a rare opportunity to employ the cutting-edge technique of multispectral imaging enabling us to virtually peel away the layers of damage currently affecting the manuscript,' Dr Duffy wrote.
Multispectral imaging is a non-destructive, non-invasive imaging technique using different colour lights, including ultra-violet and infrared, to recover faded and lost text.
Multispectral imaging is a non-destructive, non-invasive imaging technique using different colour lights, including ultra-violet and infrared, to recover faded and lost text. This is the result when used on the manuscript. Text invisible to the human eye can be seen and analysed by experts
In February 2015, the four copies of the Magna Carta will be brought together for the first time in history for a three-day event, which will allow further academic study of them side by side. An easily legible copy usually housed at Salisbury Cathedral is shown
Uncovering the text was a painstaking process. Temporary housing was prepared to store the charter (top left) and the original wooden frames carefully removed to get access to the manuscript (top right). The charter was removed from the mounting (bottom left) and then underwent tests to determine its condition (bottom right)
A high-resolution camera was securely mounted directly over the charter, which was then illuminated with LED lights ranging from the ultraviolet at wavelengths invisible to humans, to the visible.
The chemical composition of the material in the charter was varied and included ink and parchment which reacts differently to the lights. This means that experts could see extra information – including text – which is undetectable by the human eye.
This technique will allow scientists to preserve the Magna Carta for the next 800 years.
In February 2015, the four manuscripts will be brought together for the first time in history for a three-day event, which will allow further academic study of them side by side.
The date is 800 years after the issue of the Charter by King John in 1215.
A total of 1,215 members of the public will also be able to see them. People interested in the historic opportunity can enter a ballot to be in with a chance of taking part.
The British Library is home to two of the original Magna Carta manuscripts, while the other two are held at Lincoln and Salisbury Cathedrals.
Claire Breay, Lead Curator of Medieval and Earlier Manuscripts at the British Library, says: 'Magna Carta is the most popular item in the Library's Treasures gallery, and is venerated around the world as marking the starting point for government under the law.
'Bringing the four surviving manuscripts together for the first time will create a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for researchers and members of the public to see them in one place.'
The British Library (pictuerd) is home to two of the original Magna Carta manuscripts, while the other two are held at Lincoln and Salisbury Cathedrals
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