Biocodicology - A Deeper Dive

[Mark Knowles]

First and foremost anyone interested (and capable) of carrying out such analyses on the VM must demonstrate the feasibility and robustness of the proposed methods and the significance of potential results in relation to the expected damage to the manuscript. The boundaries of current technology could relatively easily be tested on less valuable documents, same for the proteome of the parchment or albumen in paint. I'm sure a lot is possible and even more will be in the near future but the VM is not the right proving ground for experiments.

I completely agree. I don't think any such method should be employed unless it is a proven technique and it can be shown to cause less damage to the manuscript than the carbon dating did.

I would think it will take some time before the techniques necessary to do this, if possible, exist. But in the next 10, 20 or 30 years if advancements continues at the same pace then it seems far from inconceivable that it may well be possible.