Email: e.meehan@liverpool.ac.uk Website: https://liverpool.academia.edu/EddieMeehan Thesis Title Ideal and moral rulership between insular and Carolingian worlds Institution University of Liverpool

This workshop, ‘Medieval Manuscripts in a Modern World’, was run by the research group Videntes at the Archivio Capitolare and Museo del Tesoro del Duomo in Vercelli, Italy. It focused on the use of digital humanities techniques, particularly digital imaging, on medieval manuscripts. These techniques let researchers see what cannot be seen with the human eye, from lost text to identifying the origin of inks and pigments. The workshop also covered close reading of manuscripts and project management skills. Finally, it looked at the use of digital technologies for communication of research to public audiences.
Multispectral imaging (MSI) was one of the main techniques used. MSI involves studying a manuscript across the electromagnetic spectrum, from infrared through the visible spectrum to ultraviolet. These technologies can reveal otherwise difficult to read aspects of a manuscript. They are however usually expensive; commercial setups cost more than £100,000. The workshop covered more affordable options for using MSI, accessible to universities and libraries without large research budgets.
The workshop also covered photogrammetry and X-ray fluorescence. Photogrammetry involves making 3D models through taking numerous photos of an object, room or archaeological site. Use of this technique can help situate a manuscript in its current physical setting, and also can help to document larger architectural or archaeological spaces. X-ray fluorescence uses X-rays to excite atoms in a substance, and the emissions from these atoms are then measured to determine the elemental composition of the substance. This method can indicate what specific elements make up a pigment or ink, or what a stain on a manuscript consists of.
Close reading of manuscripts involves the study of a manuscript without the use of these technologies. While digital and scientific approaches can reveal much about a manuscript, examination first is crucial. The script, decoration, parchment and binding can all indicate the historical context, possible uses and potential audiences of a manuscript. Annotation, sometimes much later than the original writing of the manuscript, can show how it was used over the centuries.
Using these technologies requires collaboration across disciplines and institutions. Collaborative work needs a clear definition of tasks along with a collaborative attitude, both of which were discussed in the workshop. Project management skills are therefore crucial to ensure that research projects deliver outputs, both academic and for the general public.
The workshop also discussed the communication of these findings using digital techniques. Museums, libraries and galleries now commonly use services like Google Arts and Culture to engage a wide audience, including those that cannot travel to the physical location. The workshop talked about the benefits and pitfalls of these methods for public engagement and how they can best be used to tell a story about a collection.

Overall, the workshop was an invaluable experience in a rapidly growing area of humanities research. It encouraged networking across disciplines and explained well how to engage with these techniques in my own future research, along with demonstrating the impact these methods can have.

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