Digitization and Multispectral Analysis of Historical Books and Archival Documents: Two Exemplary Cases

Abstract

A multispectral digital system, recently developed at the ENEA laboratories in Bologna and applied to the investigation of many artistic and archaeological works, is presented, ranging from infrared radiation to visible light and ultraviolet fluorescence, in order to perform suitable analyses of paintings in illuminated codes, parchments, books and documents in historical archives, etc., preliminary to any restoration or cleaning. Relevant software for multispectral image analysis and digital restoration has been developed associated with and complementary to this hardware system and applied to a few cases of main historical interest, namely the Marsili 's archive in the Biblioteca Universitaria of Bologna and incunaboli and cinquecentine in the library of Minori Osservanti in Bologna and the XVI century books in the Library of Padri Minimi ofPaola in Calabria (Italy).