Friday, September 08, 2006

Egyptian Writing "Scanned" Using High-Tech Methods

"Jean Revez studies old things, but that doesn't make him wedded to old ways. The professor of Egyptian history at the University of Montreal in Canada is developing one of several emerging techniques for electronically recording and interpreting ancient stone inscriptions.
Today most archaeologists record writing and other architectural details using pencils, pens, and paper, 'tools that are really quite ancient,'Revez said.
In his vision of the future, epigraphists—archaeologists who study inscriptions—will rely instead on digital cameras, specialized computer software, and their dexterity with a mouse. The new techniques will enable scientists to study ancient writing in unprecedented detail—and possibly preserve monuments that are being steadily eroded by the sands of time."

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