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Is the 2011 transcription of the Archimedes text reliable?

Asked 26 Oct 2026 by ·Part of Did the imaging programme recover the erased Archimedes text wherever the parchment survives?·3 answers·0·0 following
Most likely: the Netz and Wilson transcription is reliable apart from minor points of notationAhead on the evidence, not yet confirmed. It needs two reviews to be accepted.

Where it stands

Three answers have been proposed. The Netz and Wilson transcription is reliable apart from minor points of notation. leads, with evidence 1 for: partly supported by its tests. Two are still possible.

Why it matters

A recovered image is only as useful as its reading. A specialist review found errors in the edition's treatment of abbreviations and diagrams⁠[1].

Answers 3

Evidence: 1 for
Most likely
Evidence: 1 for
Most likely
None of these.
Not tested enough to call either way
Evidence: none yet
Still possible

History

  1. Netz puts forward: the Netz and Wilson transcription is reliable apart from minor points of notation.
  2. Acerbi puts forward: the transcription contains errors in abbreviations, diacritics and diagrams that need correcting before it…
  3. Netz: the editors replied to the review in the same journal.For: The Netz and Wilson transcription is reliable apart from minor points of notation.
  4. Acerbi: the reviewer identifies specific misreadings of abbreviations and a misleading treatment of the diagram for…For: The transcription contains errors in abbreviations, diacritics and diagrams that need correcting before it…
  5. Asked on this site
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