Seeing The Invisible: Computer Science For Codicology
Roger Boyle, Hazem Hiary · 2011
Computer science exhibits very rapid development, and when coupled with interdisciplinarity, it can bring considerable benefit to other fields of study. This chapter presents a particular example in watermark location and identification. It offers comment on the pace of arts and humanities research innovation that accompanies straightforward technical development, and considers how this may inform under-explored areas such as codicology and palaeography. The chapter considers watermarking, which has long been of interest to codicologists. Using a challenging dataset it illustrates how a computer science approach can provide a robust solution to a difficult problem, and reveal paper details hitherto unseen. Finally, the chapter concludes that ongoing dialogue between humanities scholars and computer scientists is to the benefit of all and deserves nurturing. Keywords: codicology; computer science; palaeography; watermarking