Decoding Chartres manuscripts

From the BBC:

The medieval library at Chartres, France, was destroyed in an allied bombing raid on the evening of 26 May, 1944 [The article, however, later states that it was either a single stricken bomber jettisoning its load, or an accidental German bombing -- D.].

The collection, then housed in an annexe of Chartres town hall, comprised around 2,000 medieval books and parchments, many of which dated to the 12th century. The library was considered a national treasure and a good proportion of the works were unpublished. . .

Although thousands of texts were recovered, the fierce inferno carbonised the majority, rendering them unreadable.

But digital technology called multispectral imaging may now be able to reveal text on even the most badly burned manuscripts, allowing scholars to study them again.

Posted by David on July 4, 2003 3:33 PM