The Turin papyrus collection virtually reassembled (ENG)

Reconstructing Egyptian manuscripts is like assembling a jigsaw puzzle. It is not possible, however, to spread the individual pieces on a table and try to connect them manually due to the fragile condition of the papyri and the often non-existent space in the storerooms.

Furthermore, when we assemble a puzzle we start from a set of pieces that certainly belong to it; in the case of a papyrus document in an archive such as the Museo Egizio’s, instead, pieces (possibly) belonging to the same manuscript have to be singled out from thousands of fragments belonging to hundreds of different documents.

In this paper we will outline a project which aims to restore fragmentary written cultural heritage by employing digital information technologies to make it virtually accessible across borders and disciplinary boundaries.