Revealing text in a complexly rolled silver scroll from Jerash with computed tomography and advanced imaging software

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 5; no. 1; p. 17765
• Main Authors: Hoffmann Barfod, Gry, Larsen, John Møller, Lichtenberger, Achim, Raja, Rubina
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 09.12.2015; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 639/301/930/12; 639/301/930/2735; 639/301/930/296; Computed tomography; Computer programs; Earthquakes; Humanities and Social Sciences; Lead; multidisciplinary; Museums; Science; Silver; Software; Textiles
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/srep17765

Throughout Antiquity magical amulets written on papyri, lead and silver were used for apotropaic reasons. While papyri often can be unrolled and deciphered, metal scrolls, usually very thin and tightly rolled up, cannot easily be unrolled without damaging the metal. This leaves us with unreadable results due to the damage done or with the decision not to unroll the scroll. The texts vary greatly and tell us about the cultural environment and local as well as individual practices at a variety of locations across the Mediterranean. Here we present the methodology and the results of the digital unfolding of a silver sheet from Jerash in Jordan from the mid-8 th century CE. The scroll was inscribed with 17 lines in presumed pseudo-Arabic as well as some magical signs. The successful unfolding shows that it is possible to digitally unfold complexly folded scrolls, but that it requires a combination of the know-how of the software and linguistic knowledge.