Advanced non-invasive imaging methods for studying and editing the Herculaneum papyri

The discovery of the Herculaneum papyri in the 18th century at the Villa dei Papiri at Herculaneum has captivated scholars owing to their exceptional preservation thanks to the 79 A.D. eruption of Mount Vesuvius and their rich philosophical content. These unique papyri present significant challenges as for their readability and interpretation due to their carbonized condition. The ERC Advanced Grant 885222-GreekSchools project aims to develop new protocols by using optical methods to enhance text analysis and edition. To uncover hidden texts and classify overlapping layers, we employ advanced non-invasive techniques across various spectral regions, including, Shortwave-Infrared Hyperspectral Imaging (SWIR HSI), technical photography in the visible (VIS), ultraviolet (UV), and infrared (IR) regions and high-resolution digital microscopy in the VIS and NIR range. This contribution compares various acquisition methods and image processing techniques in the NIR and SWIR regions to enhance the visualization of the writing patterns.