Researchers have identified a missing page from the Archimedes Palimpsest at a museum in France, bringing new attention to one of the oldest surviving sources for the Greek mathematician.
The leaf, found by scientists from France’s National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) at the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Blois, preserves geometric diagrams attributed to Archimedes beneath later religious writing added after the manuscript was reused.
The discovery adds another piece to the fragmented history of the manuscript, which has long been valued for preserving traces of Archimedes’ work. Its layered text reflects the common medieval practice of recycling older books for new use.
Scientists now intend to apply advanced imaging techniques to uncover obscured passages and take a fresh look at the manuscript as a whole. The effort could help reveal further details hidden beneath the later text.
