Latest news with #BodleianLibrary
The Independent
26-05-2025
- General
- The Independent
Discovering Lyra's Oxford on a ‘His Dark Materials' walking tour
'Lyra's Oxford has the same street-plan as ours,' says Steve Fisher, of Oxford Official Walking Tours. 'So the influence of the urban landscape is obvious. But the university's intellectual and academic history also spurred Pullman 's imagination.' The quad of the Bodleian Old Library embodies 17th-century education, with doorways to the three schools of philosophy (metaphysics, moral, natural) and seven liberal arts (arithmetic, geometry, music, astronomy, logic, grammar and rhetoric). 'Before the Age of Enlightenment, this was the curriculum of European universities,' explains Steve. 'Most Oxford students were in religious orders, like the Dominicans or Benedictines, and the goal of education was to reconcile Greek philosophy with Christian theology. He continues: 'In Lyra's Oxford, the scholars explore science as 'experimental theology'. But the religious Magisterium sees this as a challenge to its authority and tries to put an end to the research, just as the real Catholic Church attacked academics who questioned papal cosmology.' We pass the domed Radcliffe Camera and stroll down St Mary's Passage – believed to have inspired the wardrobe and streetlamp of CS Lewis 's Narnia – towards the High St. 'Remember how Lyra and her mates scrap with the 'townies' in the book?' asks Steve. 'That's a more benign version of the 'town and gown' violence between students and locals in the 1300s. Back then, Oxford was the murder capital of England and the students, most of whom were clergymen, were usually the instigators.' He points toward the crenellated Carfax Tower, which is all that remains of a 12th-century church. 'There used to be a tavern near there,' he says, 'In February 1355, two students started a brawl with the owner, because they were unhappy with the wine. It turned into a three-day riot that killed 90 people. Medieval student life was more Game of Thrones than Fresh Meat.' Pullman studied at Exeter College (which became Jordan College in Lyra's world), which was founded in 1314 and constitutes the fourth-oldest college of the university. Less than a minute away is the History of Science Museum, home to the world's largest collection of astrolabes: astronomical instruments that calculate time and latitude using star charts carved into brass, which inspired the alethiometer – a golden 'truth reader' of needles and cogs that Lyra uses to outwit the Magisterium. The production company behind the BBC television adaptation have gifted their prop alethiometer to the museum, and it sits alongside antique telescopes, microscopes and globes from the museum's collection. It's a reminder that real instruments of scientific inquiry were once a direct threat to religious dogma in our own world, just as the alethiometer is in Lyra's. Lyra's adventures bring her to our world where she visits the weird and wonderful Pitt Rivers Museum (free). Its entrance is hidden at the back of the Natural History Museum – an understated archway that takes visitors from an airy gallery of natural light to a sunken gallery of dark wooden cabinets. 'It always makes me think of the portals in Pullman's books,' says Kieran Brooks, a guide at the Pitt Rivers Museum. 'A hidden doorway between parallel worlds, taking you from a world of nature and geology, to a world of culture and anthropology.' In this atmospheric space, items are arranged by function and type, rather than age or place of origin. So, gas lamps from 19th-century north America sit alongside ancient pitch-torches from southeast Asia, to show how different societies solved the challenge of lighting. We pass cases of 'charms' and 'sympathetic magic', filled with sprigs of pine, amulets of stone, birch twigs and animal totems, before pausing at a case of fur-coats and Arctic sleds. 'The Pitt Rivers was both a setting and inspiration,' says Kieran, 'Lyra comes to this very corner to see these items, and the birch, pine and talismans are associated with her world's witches and polar bears.' In a later book, a witch sends Lyra to the north Oxford Jericho neighbourhood and the Eagle Ironworks, which once existed in the real world. The factory has since been converted into flats, but the terraced houses that were home to factory workers remain, as does the canal that transported goods to the city. I follow it to the Thames, then cross the boggy Port Meadow to Godstow Abbey. The nunnery here fell into ruin during the Civil War, but in Lyra's world it survived until 1986. Across the river is The Trout pub (the Trout Inn for Lyra), but I head back into town along the right bank of the Thames, stopping at the magnificent garden of The Perch pub in Binsey for devilled eggs and ale. His Dark Materials ends with the portals being closed, and Lyra being separated from her love, Will, who lives in our world. They promise to visit the Oxford Botanic Garden in their respective worlds at noon on Midsummer's Day, to sit on a particular bench. The bench is a real one, overlooking the river beneath a Cornelian cherry tree. In 2019, a sculpture was unveiled there, featuring Lyra's pine marten daemon and Will's cat daemon. They are watched over by a raven – Pullman's own daemon – which he chose because ravens steal things for good use. Pullman may have stolen some of Oxford for his books, but by remixing its history and legends, he has made this old city feel more storied than ever. How to do it The former Boswells department store on Broad Street has been revamped as The Store hotel and is unbeatably located. The highlight is its rooftop bar, which overlooks Oxford's dreaming spires, including the Exeter College rooftops that Lyra scampers across. Doubles from £285 including breakfast.
Scottish Sun
06-05-2025
- Science
- Scottish Sun
Title of scroll burnt to a crisp by Mt Vesuvius 2,000 years ago finally read by AI – & we even know who wrote them
The University of Oxford's Bodleian Library holds a number of the scrolls, which have been left untouched for decades CHARRED SECRETS Title of scroll burnt to a crisp by Mt Vesuvius 2,000 years ago finally read by AI – & we even know who wrote them Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) RESEARCHERS have deciphered the title and author of a charred scroll destroyed by the Mount Vesuvius eruption 2,000 years ago. The tightly bound scroll cannot be opened since its delicate, burnt pages would only fall apart. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 6 The scroll was discovered in Herculaneum, an ancient Roman town that was buried under the massive volcanic fallout from Mount Vesuvius Credit: Vesuvius Challenge 6 After 'virtually unwrapping' scroll PHerc. 172, researchers discovered it was titled On Vices by the Greek philosopher Philodemus Credit: Vesuvius Challenge 6 The text offered ancient Romans guidance for cultivating a virtuous life, according to researchers Credit: Vesuvius Challenge 6 The University of Oxford's Bodleian Library holds a number of the scrolls, which have been left untouched for decades Credit: Vesuvius Challenge Therefore, researchers have used a cutting-edge technique hinging on artificial intelligence (AI) to reveal the lost text. The scroll was discovered in Herculaneum, an ancient Roman town that was buried under the massive volcanic fallout from Mount Vesuvius. After 'virtually unwrapping' scroll PHerc. 172, researchers discovered it was titled On Vices by the Greek philosopher Philodemus. The text offered ancient Romans guidance for cultivating a virtuous life, according to researchers. Philodemus, who lived between roughly 110 and 30 BCE, was an Epicurean philosopher and poet from Gadara. The University of Oxford's Bodleian Library holds a number of the scrolls, which have been left untouched for decades. But recent advancements in technology have allowed the scrolls to be 3D reconstructed with powerful X-ray beams without damaging them. Once researchers have identified each layer of the scroll, AI is used to detect the ink. The ink is digitally painted onto the scroll, for researchers to decipher. As part of an international competition, researchers have found the title and author inside of a sealed scroll for the first time. The Vesuvius Challenge awards money to all those who can help decipher the charred scrolls housed at the Bodleian Libraries at the University of Oxford. The Tragic History of Pompeii Researchers behind this latest feat have been awarded the Vesuvius Challenge First Title Prize, which includes prize money of $60,000. This was achieved by two parties at roughly the same time - Sean Johnson from the Vesuvius Challenge, and Marcel Roth and Micha Nowak from the University of Würzburg. The pages of the relic PHerc. 172 were first published in February, the title page had yet to be deciphered. PHerc.172 is one of roughly 800 scrolls unearthed in the Villa of the Papyri, a luxurious estate believed to have belonged to Lucius Calpurnius Piso Caesoninus, Julius Caesar's father-in-law. How AI & X-rays are unravelling scroll secrets AI and X-rays are revolutionising the study of ancient scrolls by enabling researchers to virtually "unroll" and decipher texts that are too fragile to handle physically. X-rays, particularly advanced methods like X-ray micro-computed tomography (micro-CT), create highly detailed 3D scans of scrolls. These scans capture the layers of tightly wound or damaged parchment or papyrus without physically unrolling them, preserving their integrity. X-rays can also detect variations in density caused by metallic or carbon-based inks used in ancient writing. AI algorithms, particularly those using deep learning, can segment layers of text by identifying and separating individual layers of the scroll from 3D X-ray data, isolating the text for analysis. They can also recognise text by enhancing faint markings or patterns corresponding to ancient writing, often revealing characters that are invisible to the naked eye. AI algorithms can reconstruct incomplete sections as well. Machine-learning models can fill in the gaps or predict any missing text. For scrolls where X-rays detect ink differences, AI can distinguish metallic inks - typically used in later periods of history - from carbon-based inks, enabling a more detailed and context-sensitive interpretation. Advanced imaging can also track even faint remnants of ink strokes, reconstructing text in incredible detail. The villa, based in Herculaneum, was thought to house one of the finest libraries of antiquity, including works of Greek philosophy and possibly undiscovered Roman literature. The first milestone in the Vesuvius Challenge was reached in February 2024, when three students shared a $700,000 prize for reading parts of another scroll. The success of the competition has attracted tech moguls like Elon Musk, who funded later phases of the competition. 6 The scroll was discovered in Herculaneum, an ancient Roman town that was buried under the massive volcanic fallout from Mount Vesuvius Credit: Bodleian Library
NDTV
06-05-2025
- Science
- NDTV
How X-Ray Offered Peek Inside 2,000-Year-Old Herculaneum Scroll
Researchers have revealed the identity of the author behind a charred scroll from the first century BC, thanks to the advanced X-ray technology. Found in the ancient Roman town of Herculaneum, the scroll contains part of a multi-volume work titled "On Vices" and was written by an ancient Greek philosopher, Philodemus. The charred scroll was recovered from a Roman villa, believed to have been the home of Julius Caesar's father-in-law. The scroll, along with the villa, was buried during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius nearly 2,000 years ago. Using the X-ray, the researchers were able to look inside the burned scroll, which was made up of ancient paper called carbonised papyrus. They virtually unwrapped the scroll and, for the first time with this method, managed to uncover important details such as the title and the author. This was made possible because the X-ray images revealed traces of ink lettering. Dr Michael McOsker, a papyrologist at University College London, told The Guardian, "It's the first scroll where the ink could just be seen on the scan. Nobody knew what it was about. We didn't even know if it had writing on." It is one of the three ancient scrolls from Herculaneum now kept at the Bodleian Library at Oxford. Many ancient scrolls have been discovered earlier and are currently kept at the National Library of Naples. But when researchers attempted to open them and read, they couldn't, for the scrolls were burned during the volcanic eruption. Even the ink is hard to read on the black, carbonised papyrus. So, in 2023, a Vesuvius Challenge was launched worldwide to help read the Herculaneum scrolls using 3D X-rays technology. It carried an award for anyone who could successfully decode the ancient texts. Last year, a group of tech-savvy students won $700,000 (approx. Rs 6 crore) grand prize for using artificial intelligence software that allowed them to decode 2,000 Greek letters from another scroll. Dr Brent Seales, a computer scientist at the University of Kentucky who co-founded the Vesuvius Challenge, said, "We're seeing evidence of ink in many of the new scrolls we've scanned, but we haven't converted that into coherent text yet." "That's our current bottleneck: converting the massive scan data into organised sections that are properly segmented, virtually flattened, and enhanced so that the evidence of ink can then be interpreted as actual text," he added.
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Medieval scroll found in shoebox goes on display
A rare medieval illuminated manuscript uncovered in the archive of a York convent is going on display for the very first time. The 15th-century Arma Christi was found in a shoebox filled with leaflets from the 1980s at Bar Convent, by Dr Hannah Thomas, while she was cataloguing the religious order's collection. The scroll is set to become "the jewel in the crown" of the new Treasures gallery when it opens at the Living Heritage Centre this weekend. "You think maybe you've seen all the bits of York. This is a whole new bit that you haven't yet seen," said Dr Thomas. The manuscript, thought to date from about 1475, is one of only 11 copies known to have survived. Adorned with hand-drawn figures and ornate calligraphy, it features the prayer poem O Vernicle - with response texts written in red after each verse. Dr Thomas, the special collections manager, believes the response texts make it unique from other versions "suggesting it was used by groups or families as they gathered together for prayers in the home" - in communal worship, as well as private prayer. Additionally, it is written in English instead of the more traditional Latin, which means it probably would have belonged to a wealthy family rather than a church, she adds. Dr Thomas said the manuscript is in "incredible" condition compared to the other 10 that exist in the world, in places such as the Bodleian Library in Oxford, the British Library in London and Huntington Library in California. "Because it's not been unrolled very often, the images are a lot more clearly preserved. You can see a lot more of the detail," she said. "It's hugely important for the convent," she adds, "so people understand the role this building has played". "York's well-known for its medieval history - I think to have an extra unknown element to that is really special. "People come to visit a lot - and you think maybe you've seen all the bits of York. This is a whole new bit that you haven't yet seen." Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North. Rare medieval manuscript found in convent shoebox
BBC News
05-04-2025
- General
- BBC News
Rare medieval scroll found in shoebox goes on display in York
A rare medieval illuminated manuscript uncovered in the archive of a York convent is going on display for the very first 15th-century Arma Christi was found in a shoebox filled with leaflets from the 1980s at Bar Convent, by Dr Hannah Thomas, while she was cataloguing the religious order's scroll is set to become "the jewel in the crown" of the new Treasures gallery when it opens at the Living Heritage Centre this weekend."You think maybe you've seen all the bits of York. This is a whole new bit that you haven't yet seen," said Dr Thomas. The manuscript, thought to date from about 1475, is one of only 11 copies known to have with hand-drawn figures and ornate calligraphy, it features the prayer poem O Vernicle - with response texts written in red after each Thomas, the special collections manager, believes the response texts make it unique from other versions "suggesting it was used by groups or families as they gathered together for prayers in the home" - in communal worship, as well as private it is written in English instead of the more traditional Latin, which means it probably would have belonged to a wealthy family rather than a church, she adds. Dr Thomas said the manuscript is in "incredible" condition compared to the other 10 that exist in the world, in places such as the Bodleian Library in Oxford, the British Library in London and Huntington Library in California."Because it's not been unrolled very often, the images are a lot more clearly preserved. You can see a lot more of the detail," she said."It's hugely important for the convent," she adds, "so people understand the role this building has played"."York's well-known for its medieval history - I think to have an extra unknown element to that is really special."People come to visit a lot - and you think maybe you've seen all the bits of York. This is a whole new bit that you haven't yet seen." Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
