X-RAYS TO PENETRATE INTO THE SECRET OF MATENADARAN’S PARCHMENTS

ArmInfo Agency, Armenia
Oct 3 2007

ArmInfo. The Matenadaran-the Armenian Institute of Ancient Manuscripts
and the American Early Manuscripts Electronic Library (EMEL) signed
an agreement on the digitization of more than 100 palimpsests-
parchments. What was written on them was erased or washed out in
order to reuse them, Matenadaran’s director Hrachia Tamrazian told
ArmInfo correspondent.

According to him, digitization of the manuscripts with the device
provided by the American side will directly start from the mid 2008.

It isn’t still decided by what funds the device worth $90 000 will
be bought. However, EMEL expressed readiness to make concessions,
promising in advance to send its specialists to Armenia for training
the personnel who are going to operate the equipment. R. Tamrazian
emphasized that the digitization of the palimpsests will make it
possible to disclose the parchments’ new contents in the Matenadaran.

In the Middle Ages because of scarcity of parchments scribe-monks
resorted to the method of washing out the antique manuscripts for
writing new works. Earlier, these ancient writs were restored by
chemical means. Now, the digitizing device does X-ray and infrared
irradiation of the parchment, simultaneously. In this way EMEL
organization disclosed the commentaries written by Archimedes to
Aristotle, which were hidden under a layer of paint. Tamrazian
emphasized that the American side was provided all the conditions
for reservation of copyright on dissemination of information on the
manuscripts beyond Armenia.