Finding Archimedes in the Shadows

New York Times ^ | October 16, 2011n | EDWARD ROTHSTEIN

[decimon]

BALTIMORE — “The Archimedes Palimpsest” could well be the title of a Robert Ludlum thriller, though its plot’s esoteric arcana might also be useful for Dan Brown in his next variation on “The Da Vinci Code.” It features a third-century B.C. Greek mathematician (Archimedes) known for his playful brilliance; his lost writings, discovered more than a hundred years ago in an Istanbul convent; and various episodes involving plunder, pilferage and puzzling forgeries. The saga includes a monastery in the Judaean desert, a Jewish book dealer trying to flee Paris as the Nazis closed in, a French freedom fighter and an anonymous billionaire collector.

At the center is an ancient volume, its parchment recycled into a 13th-century prayer book. And at the climax we see those old folios, charred at the edges and scarred by dripping wax from the candles of devout monks, being meticulously studied for 12 years by an international team using the most advanced imaging technologies of the 21st century. And what is found is more revelatory than had ever been expected.

[decimon]

Via SunkenCiv

[decimon]

Arch revival ping.

[martin_fierro]

Finding Archimedes in the Shadows

Finding Pinch In The Closet.

[NewHampshireDuo]

I read the book that covers this “The Archimedes Codex” about a year ago. Very interesting story.

[DManA]

Caption: Good News!! We’ll give you 2 months salary and all you have to do is go away.

[SunkenCiv]

GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother & Ernest_at_the_Beach	join list or digest view topics view or post blog bookmark post a topic subscribe
Thanks decimon, for posting it, and indulging my passive-aggressive lifestyle choice. The Next Age of Discovery (fascinating stuff!!) A Prayer for Archimedes: ... he had begun to discover the principles of calculus. A Prayer for Archimedes The Story of the Archimedes Manuscript 13th century text hides words of Archimedes Archimedes Palimpsest contains sections from at least seven books. Text Reveals More Ancient Secrets (Aristotle) A Layered Look Reveals Ancient Greek Texts Imaging Technology Restores 700-Year-Old Sacred Hindu Text [ Sarvamoola granthas ] Archimedes' hidden writings revealed with particle accelerator (Stanford) X-rays reveal Archimedes secrets Syracusia [Ships of the World: An Historical Encyclopedia] Tests of Fabled Archimedes Death Ray Fail Fresh look at Archimedes' theories Archimedes manuscript yields secrets under X-ray gaze Are Couch Potatoes More Creative? The Antikythera Mechanism: Physical and Intellectual Salvage from the 1st Century B.C. Archaeologists discover alma mater of Archimedes Experts urge race against time to unearth last secrets of Herculaneum s lost library To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list.

[SunkenCiv]

Lost and Found: The Secrets of Archimedes, a restored book on display at the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore

While seeing this in Baltimore, you may as well head to D.C., to the Folger Shakespeare Library (there's never a bad time to go there, IMHO, and check out not only the place itself, but their special exhibit:

Folger Shakespeare Library (many of not most of the surviving copies of the First Folio are actually in its collection).

[bigheadfred]

Bookmark

[El Sordo]

This makes me downright giddy.

[Liberty Valance]

bump to the top

[Bigg Red]

This is wonderful. I plan to catch this exhibit in December.

[wildbill]

Eureka! I’m pumped.