There are several exciting digitisation projects in the pipeline for 2011:
1. The famous Mappemonde, a huge French map created in 1546. The map, measuring 2.6 meters long, has been photographed in the past, using 5×4 equipment. Our Phase One P65+ however, along with new techniques, will allow us to capture much more detail than the original transparencies. Our JRUL Imaging Services team (Suzanne Fagan & Gwen Jones) will be working on this project.
- French MS 1 Mappemonde
2. ‘Gateway to the Koran of Kansuh al-Ghuri’ funded by TIMA. We will be digitising Arabic MS 42, a 16th century Koran. The manuscript measures a whopping 84cm by 54cm. Once described by Alphonse Mingana as “possibly the biggest Koran in the world”, all 470 leaves are highly decorated with gold leaf. The manuscript will require us to build a special foam ‘cradle’ to support it throughout the process. It also requires special moving and handling due to its size, and it has to be covered and held end up, as it will not fit in any of the buildings lifts laying flat!
- The title page of the giant Koran
