Daejeon, July 27–31
The study of ancient Egyptian manuscripts has traditionally prioritised textual content, palaeographic morphology in monochrome, and vignette iconography, with polychromy largely overlooked despite its cultural significance (Lucarelli 2020; Albert 2022; Verhoeven 2023). Major collaborative projects such as the Totenbuch-Projekt Bonn and the Totenbuchtexte series (e.g. Lapp 2017; Lüscher 2019) provide synoptic editions and catalogues (Lapp 1997, 2004; Mosher 2001), yet remain monochrome. Even high-resolution digital surrogates rarely include colour calibration. Brief acknowledgements of polychrome hieroglyphs in funerary papyri exist (Díaz-Iglesias Llanos 2023: 5; Parkinson 2011: 43), but no dedicated palaeographic analysis in colour has been undertaken. This gap is particularly acute for the rare late-Eighteenth-Dynasty Books of the Dead that employ full polychrome hieroglyphs—complete with internal detailing in red, blue, green, yellow, and occasionally white—transposing a graphic register normally confined to monumental reliefs into portable supports (P. Leiden T2, published in Leemans 1882; P. Cairo CG 51189, published by Davis & Naville 1908). Building on established digital epigraphy practices, such as the IFAO’s IIIF publication of Papyrus Prisse (https://prisse.ifao.egnet.net/) and annotation-driven projects in medieval manuscript studies, the ongoing project develops a prototype IIIF-native workspace that publishes one such manuscript—the calf-skin Book of the Dead BM EA 10473 (‘BD Nakht’), only partially published, in black and white, by Glanville (1927). The platform presents the manuscript in calibrated colour with per-sign metadata and comparative viewing tools. This approach advances beyond traditional monochrome editions by enabling visualisation of pigment application sequences and cross-media comparisons, while extending non-invasive photogrammetric methods to glass-encased artefacts. The primary objectives are to understand the presence of polychrome hieroglyphs in a normally cursive, monochrome context and to explore the scribe’s approach to sign execution. Through the creation of an interactive hieroglyphic palaeography in colour (currently in progress), the platform will enable comparisons of signs across different media, fostering a broader understanding of Egyptian written and visual cultures. It will also serve pedagogical purposes, offering a visual appreciation of the variability of the hieroglyphic script in its original context and colour
The project began with a systematic analysis of the material and scribal characteristics of BD Nakht, made possible by thorough on-site documentation using Structure-from-Motion (SfM) photogrammetry. Despite the glass casing, high-quality orthophotos were derived to virtually reconstruct the manuscript, now divided into three sheets mounted on separate glass frames. Subsequent palaeographic analysis focused on individual signs, forming the basis for comparisons with hieroglyphs in contemporaneous media (other papyri and wall paintings) in terms of stroke order, iconicity, and colour palette. This analysis is accompanied by vector-based illustrations that elucidate the use of colour and ductus where possible, with the ability to toggle individual layers to reveal different stages in the execution of the signs.
Structure-from-Motion photogrammetry (Agisoft Metashape Pro) produced 16-K orthophotographs (0.04 mm/px) of the three glass-mounted sheets. Colour calibration used an X-Rite ColorChecker Passport under D65 illumination to ensure reproducible accuracy. Tiles are served via IIIF Image API 3.0 (Cantaloupe 5.2 + Loris) with embedded ICC profiles.
Custom extensions to Mirador 3 currently enable synchronised deep-zoom viewing of up to four parallel sources (the primary manuscript plus Leiden T2, Cairo CG 51189, and selected comparable Theban tomb inscriptions).
Web annotations on selected individual hieroglyphs (pilot corpus of a dozen signs) include Gardiner sign-list codes, colour information, stroke count, and layered SVG vector reconstructions demonstrating execution stages (draft → blue/red/yellow fill → black/red contour → inner details), and persistent URIs to parallels.
Hover pop-ups and sidebar metadata display provide immediate access to sign-specific data.
A lightweight metadata backend supports the annotations and enables querying by sign code, colour, and morphology for the current prototype.
Vector-layered palaeography engine
Multi-layer SVGs allow toggling of inferred painting sequences—the first systematic visualisation of polychrome hieroglyph execution stages.
Additional IIIF layers from partner spectral imaging (multispectral/XRF).
Website additional content and translation
Pilot analysis of palaeography Nakht’s manuscript reveals that the same scribe systematically altered ductus and colour hierarchy when switching from monochrome to polychrome sections, suggesting deliberate “monumentalising” intent. Overlays with contemporaneous tomb inscriptions show near-identical modelling of certain signs (e.g. the hare, E36), indicating shared workshop production. The main difference lies in the absence of the colour green from manuscripts with polychrome text as opposed to tomb inscriptions. By leveraging open standards (IIIF, Web Annotations, SVG) to create the first colour-accurate, metadata-rich polychrome hieroglyphic palaeography, the platform—currently in its prototype stage—advances beyond existing monochrome editions and isolated digital surrogates. It provides a reusable model for other coloured script traditions (e.g., Maya hieroglyphic codices, Insular gospel books) and underrepresented non-Latin manuscript cultures, including those from the Global South (e.g. Old Nubian manuscripts). The planned bilingual English/Arabic interface and non-invasive approach broaden participation in digital humanities, supporting pedagogical applications in diverse educational contexts and recognising contributions from scholars across regions. Further content will be accessible through a menu button, including material and historical information as well as dedicated palaeographic pages. Details on dating, provenance, formal description, materiality, and graphic registers will receive focused treatment. Pages on the palaeographic material will provide an overview of attested tokens, their parallels, stroke order, and colour. Additional sections will discuss the broader visual and written culture surrounding these artefacts, particularly the relationship between cursive and monumental contexts. The presentation will demonstrate the current Mirador workspace live: real-time toggling of painting layers for selected signs, synchronised comparison with P. Leiden T2 and P. Cairo CG 51189, and selected contemporary Theban tombs, and metadata display.