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Researchers at the University of Basel solved an enigma about a 2,000-year-old papyrus: they again made the Greek document readable. It describes the phenomenon of "hysterical respiratory arrest".
The "mysterious" papyrus of Basel is a medical font of late antiquity. (Photo: zvg / University of Basel)
(nda)
Basel researchers have discovered by means of ultraviolet and infrared images that the document written in mirror on both sides is not, as supposed, a single papyrus, but rather several layers of papyrus glued together. A specialized papyrus restorer has separated these places. After that, the document was decrypted.
The papyrus is therefore a font of late antiquity, as announced Thursday the University of Basel. The researchers assume that it is either a text of the Roman physician Galen, or an unknown comment of his work. Galen is considered one of the most important doctors of antiquity.
This is a "sensational discovery," says Sabine Huebner, a professor of ancient history at the University of Basel, in communication. Papyrus with literary texts are "incomparably more valuable" than documentary documents such as letters, contracts or receipts.
Recycled in the Middle Ages
The "mysterious" papyrus arrived in Basel in the 16th century. He probably belonged to the art cabinet of Basil Amerbach, as it is called. The papyrus might have already experienced a medieval recycling probably as a zusammengeleimückte book cover.
The decisive opinion came according to the message from Italy. An expert saw parallels with the "Ravenna Papyri" registry of the Archdiocese of Ravenna. Among them, many ancient manuscripts of Galen, which were then reused and rewritten.
The discovery was made by Basel researchers as part of a project funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation. Previously, according to the announcement, the document from the end of antiquity gave an enigma to generations of researchers. The Papyrus Collection of the University of Basel includes a total of 65 documents.
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