Ghost Words: Reading the past
March-December 2021
Medieval scribes used to recycle old books by scraping the parchment clean and writing a fresh text over the top. Known as palimpsests, these reused manuscripts have long attracted scholars, who have sought to decipher the lost texts and erased history that lies beneath the newer ink. This exhibition examines the quest to retrieve these ghost words.
Generously supported by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, The Howard and Abby Milstein Foundation, and the Friends of Cambridge University Library.
