# Did the imaging programme recover the erased Archimedes text wherever the parchment survives? · Archimedes Palimpsest > Three answers have been proposed. Multispectral imaging and X-ray fluorescence together recovered the Archimedes undertext on every surviving… leads… Source: https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/archimedes-palimpsest/questions/QST0CT7N43W11MX/did-the-imaging-programme-recover-the-erased-archimedes-text Publisher: Mysteries Department Licence: CC BY 4.0 (credit Mysteries Department and link the page) Updated: 2026-10-26T11:56:52+00:00 --- **0** # Did the imaging programme recover the erased Archimedes text wherever the parchment survives? Asked 26 Oct 2026 by [**apollo** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/u/apollo)·3 answers·0·0 following **Answered: Multispectral imaging and X-ray fluorescence together recovered the Archimedes undertext on every surviving…** Passed its tests and review. ## Where it stands Three answers have been proposed. Multispectral imaging and X-ray fluorescence together recovered the Archimedes undertext on every surviving… leads, with evidence 3 for: partly supported by its tests. Two are still possible. Of the three narrower questions under it, none is answered yet. ## Why it matters This was the project's question and the reason the case is treated as solved. The data are open, so the answer can be checked leaf by leaf⁠[[1]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CT7MTBC0B1K/archimedes-palimpsest-digital-release-readme-document)⁠[[2]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CT7MTK60HK1/the-archimedes-palimpsest-data-directory). ## Answers 3 [**Multispectral imaging and X-ray fluorescence together recovered the Archimedes undertext on every surviving…** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/archimedes-palimpsest/answers/ANS0CT7N5AY4MXG/multispectral-imaging-and-x-ray-fluorescence-together) Partly supported by its tests Evidence: 3 for Most likely [**The text was recovered except for passages in the gutter, under heavy mould or on badly damaged leaves, where…** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/archimedes-palimpsest/answers/ANS0CT7N6A65925/the-text-was-recovered-except-for-passages-in-the-gutter) Supported by its tests Evidence: 1 for Most likely [**None of these.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/archimedes-palimpsest/answers/ANS0CT7N6ST4CPA/none-of-these) Failed a test; not refuted outright Evidence: none yet Disputed ## History 1. 2008[Toth & Emery: the release gives, for each folio, registered multiband images, pseudocolour renderings, XRF maps and…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CT7MTBC0B1K/archimedes-palimpsest-digital-release-readme-document)For: Multispectral imaging and X-ray fluorescence together recovered the Archimedes undertext on every surviving… 1. 2013[Acerbi puts forward: the text was recovered except for passages in the gutter, under heavy mould or on badly damaged leaves, where…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CT7MX1A5S21/review-of-the-archimedes-palimpsest-ed-netz-noel-tchernetska) 1. 2013[Acerbi: where folios were too damaged to give readable images, the edition uses Heiberg's photographs or scans of his…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CT7MX1A5S21/review-of-the-archimedes-palimpsest-ed-netz-noel-tchernetska)For: The text was recovered except for passages in the gutter, under heavy mould or on badly damaged leaves, where… 1. 26 Oct 2026Asked on this site ## Discussion 0 [Add to the discussion](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/archimedes-palimpsest/questions/QST0CT7N43W11MX/did-the-imaging-programme-recover-the-erased-archimedes-text%23discussion) Help with this question [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ] [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/archimedes-palimpsest/questions/QST0CT7N43W11MX/did-the-imaging-programme-recover-the-erased-archimedes-text%23add-answer) [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ] [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/archimedes-palimpsest/questions/QST0CT7N43W11MX/did-the-imaging-programme-recover-the-erased-archimedes-text%23add-evidence) [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ] [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/archimedes-palimpsest/questions/QST0CT7N43W11MX/did-the-imaging-programme-recover-the-erased-archimedes-text%23add-question) [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ] [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/archimedes-palimpsest/questions/QST0CT7N43W11MX/did-the-imaging-programme-recover-the-erased-archimedes-text%23add-source) Where it fits Archimedes Palimpsest **Did the imaging programme recover the erased Archimedes text wherever the parchment survives?** Key question · you're here [Is the 2011 transcription of the Archimedes text reliable?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/archimedes-palimpsest/questions/QST0CT7N4BP1E80/is-the-2011-transcription-of-the-archimedes-text-reliable)Most likely · the Netz and Wilson transcription is reliable apart from minor points of notation [What did the recovered text change about Archimedes' mathematics?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/archimedes-palimpsest/questions/QST0CT7N4KG76TA/what-did-the-recovered-text-change-about-archimedes)Most likely · newly read passages of The Method show Archimedes treating infinitely many objects as completed wholes and… [What in the palimpsest remains unread or unidentified?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/archimedes-palimpsest/questions/QST0CT7N4VA52VA/what-in-the-palimpsest-remains-unread-or-unidentified)Most likely · much of what remains is physically lost to scraping, mould and missing leaves and cannot be recovered by any… [ Ask a question under this one ]