Scientists created papyrus scrolls to study reading of charred ancient texts

Researchers from UC Berkeley and NIST made their own papyrus scrolls to test how to read charred ancient manuscripts with ink containing lead. They bought papyrus and reeds in Egypt, enriched Japanese carbon ink with lead nitrate, and had students write quotes from "Star Wars," the Bible, and a 1960s TV series on them. They then charred the scrolls at high temperatures, simulating the condition of the famous scrolls from Herculaneum.

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