Spectral imaging for revealing and preserving world cultural heritage

The utilization of spectral imaging for the preservation of cultural heritage has allowed the Library of Congress to develop and adapt methodologies to reveal information from degraded ancient texts and objects. Spectral imaging systems provide a powerful tool for non-invasive, non-contact identification and characterization of pigments, inks, substrates and treatments of artefacts, allowing completely non-destructive analyses for research and preservation. Detecting any changes before they are visible enables the assessment and optimization of display and storage conditions for a range of heritage materials. Advanced processing of significant manuscripts including the Waldseemüller 1507 World Map, Jefferson's draft of the Declaration of Independence, and others have revealed previously non-visible and obscured information, recovering lost scientific and cultural knowledge that forms the basis of modern society.