Researchers supported by the University of Glasgow have uncovered 42 previously lost pages from Codex H, a sixth-century Greek manuscript containing the Apostle Paul’s New Testament writings. The discovery provides new insight into how early Christians studied and organized Scripture.
The manuscript, known as GA 015, had been dismantled in the 13th century and reused as bookbinding material, scattering its pages across Europe. Using advanced multispectral imaging, researchers were able to recover faint “ghost” text caused by ink transfer between pages. Lead professor Garrick Allen explained, “The breakthrough came from an important starting point. We knew that, at one point, the manuscript was re-inked. The chemicals in the new ink caused ‘offset’ damage to facing pages, essentially creating a mirror image of the text on the opposite leaf—sometimes leaving traces several pages deep, barely visible to the naked eye but very clear with latest imaging techniques.”
The recovered pages reveal early chapter lists and the use of the Euthalian apparatus, an ancient system for organizing biblical texts. Radiocarbon dating confirmed the manuscript’s sixth-century origin, underscoring its historical significance.
