Palimpsest texts

A palimpsest is a manuscript or writing material that has been reused by scraping off or washing away the original ink, then writing again on the same surface. Historically, this was done to conserve expensive materials like parchment or vellum. Over time, the original writing can sometimes be partially or fully recovered using special imaging techniques, revealing hidden texts beneath the newer writing. Palimpsests are valuable to historians and scholars because they often contain previously lost manuscripts, providing insights into ancient knowledge, languages, and cultures.