Papyri decoded

[conon394]

Have a bit more hope Kraxis, after all the Oxyrhynchus Papyri are also the only source for the Oxyrhynchus Historian (very likely Kratippos of Athens). If the dump has his sober history of the early 4th century, why not other quality historians as well.

Even tragedy and comedy can be useful historical sources, the Persians by Aeschylus is as valuable as Herodotus when it comes to the battle of Salamis.

[Kraxis]

Have a bit more hope Kraxis, after all the Oxyrhynchus Papyri are also the only source for the Oxyrhynchus Historian (very likely Kratippos of Athens). If the dump has his sober history of the early 4th century, why not other quality historians as well.

Even tragedy and comedy can be useful historical sources, the Persians by Aeschylus is as valuable as Herodotus when it comes to the battle of Salamis.

It is not that I deny that works by historians could be in the pile, even in large numbers, but most of them are really 'only' a chronological eventline. Something even the most basic person could read (if he could read that is). Also something like that would have much more interest for the trader, the craftsman and the peasant. Polybius' works are to a geat extent something like manuals for the commander or the general at home. Thus it is unlikely that we would finds his works in the pile, as the general population would most likely never have heard of him.

And of course tragedies and comedies are of important value, if not for their direct historical content then for their indirect content (how people lived and acted, what they cared about what they hated, what they did in their sparetime ect ect).

I would love for them to find the great work on the phalanx by Polybius, I just think it is highly unlikely as it would be out of place there.

[Aurelian]

Highly, highly cool. I wonder if that infra-red technique could be applied to other fragmentary sources? I'm thinking in particular of the Dead Sea Scrolls and Nag Hamadi texts... but just think how many "worthless" pieces of papyrus might turn out to be little goldmines. It's a killer to think how much has been thrown away that might now be decipherable.

I used to play DBM with one of the Classics professors at U of M. Maybe the lucky bastard is getting to play with the new material.

[Pindar]

Highly, highly cool. I wonder if that infra-red technique could be applied to other fragmentary sources? I'm thinking in particular of the Dead Sea Scrolls and Nag Hamadi texts... but just think how many "worthless" pieces of papyrus might turn out to be little goldmines. It's a killer to think how much has been thrown away that might now be decipherable.

I used to play DBM with one of the Classics professors at U of M. Maybe the lucky bastard is getting to play with the new material.

The infra-red technique is used on the Dead Sea Scrolls. That is what it was originally being used for. There is also a certain crossover of team researchers between the projects.

[Adrian II]

The infra-red technique is used on the Dead Sea Scrolls. That is what it was originally being used for. There is also a certain crossover of team researchers between the projects.

I found it a bit suspicious that neither the Oxford Classics Department, nor the Ashmolean or Brigham Young seemed to make a big deal out of their 'sensational breakthough'. Indeed, some phone calls and scientific articles later I realised that the whole thing may not be as sensational as The Independent presented it, and that the infra-red method has been in use for quite some time. The fuss seems to have been inspired by recent improvements in the method.

[Pindar]

I found it a bit suspicious that neither the Oxford Classics Department, nor the Ashmolean or Brigham Young seemed to make a big deal out of their 'sensational breakthough'. Indeed, some phone calls and scientific articles later I realised that the whole thing may not be as sensational as The Independent presented it, and that the infra-red method has been in use for quite some time. The fuss seems to have been inspired by recent improvements in the method.

That doesn't surprised me. Even with the infra-red help it will take a long long time.