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This post could have gone on as a post here:
The Daily Fake
but I think it deserves its own thread as it seems to be a bigger ball of yarn, that others might want to contribute to.
I was recently reading about how Harvard Law School’s Magna Carta is an original, here:
Harvard Law School’s $27.50 “copy” of Magna Carta is an original – The History Blog
The gist is that a professor thought the 1327 'copy' was actually one of 7 originals from 1300.
So - it might or might not be true... but the next segment in that post jumped out at me:
'Spectral' is an interesting word. It can relate to seeing lights and ghosts/spectres. Which is it?
Its always fascinating to see who the authenticators of history are - so I took a closer look at R.B. Toth Associates - R.B. Toth Associates
Busy chaps!
Meta history - Who provides the data?
I recommend reading that but the tldr; is that the person who has the largest map collection in the world (David Rumsey) also had the means and connections to create and/or edit the maps in his collection.
We can read more about rbtoth on their about page: AboutUs
The father "Founded R.B. Toth Associates in 1981 to provide strategic services to the worldwide standardization and certification communities".
"Worldwide standardization and certification communities"? This sounds like quite a foundational position - if you define the standards, and what people can certify as authentic that's equivalent to being a DNS server on the internet. If you wanted to manage a close handle on the perceived reality, this is the kind of operation you would run.
And his son?
From that blurb above, it seems the son is more interested in tools for historical research.
However, if one clicks the link to find out more about the Toths background we go to this page:
One Local Man Solves History’s Mysteries
We read:
My question - perhaps the enhanced images do "show unseen residues, undertext, and handprints" but do the originals actually have this information? Are the enhancements verifiable? The imagery that is 'unseen by the human eye' is being shared with trusting professors and used to verify the magna carta and what have you - but is it even there?
The Daily Fake
but I think it deserves its own thread as it seems to be a bigger ball of yarn, that others might want to contribute to.
I was recently reading about how Harvard Law School’s Magna Carta is an original, here:
Harvard Law School’s $27.50 “copy” of Magna Carta is an original – The History Blog
The gist is that a professor thought the 1327 'copy' was actually one of 7 originals from 1300.
The two professors recognized several signs: the handwriting and size of the parchment—about 19-by-19 inches—were strikingly similar to those of the other official Magna Cartas from 1300. And most tellingly, the text stated that the document was issued in “the 28th year of Edward’s reign”—which dates it squarely to 1300.
After Vincent contacted Harvard, the two scholars started a process to confirm their suspicions. Carpenter collated the six other known 1300 confirmations and found that this version was strikingly specific: clerks at the time had been instructed to meticulously replicate particular changes in diction and word order. This provided a test for HLS MS 127: if it was indeed a 1300 confirmation, its text would need to match the others.
So - it might or might not be true... but the next segment in that post jumped out at me:
R.B. Toth Associates used their technology and ultimately this helps to "verify" the document as an original.The text, however, was too faded to read clearly, so Harvard enlisted the company R.B. Toth Associates, which specializes in digital research technologies, to use ultraviolet light and spectral imaging to reveal the invisible writing. Once Carpenter received those images, he compared them to the confirmed authentic text.
'Spectral' is an interesting word. It can relate to seeing lights and ghosts/spectres. Which is it?
Its always fascinating to see who the authenticators of history are - so I took a closer look at R.B. Toth Associates - R.B. Toth Associates
Busy chaps!
They seem to be a group that has a systemic role in managing historical data. This started to remind me of a previous post of mine:Our teams of expert specialists plan, lead and support digitization and spectral imaging studies of manuscripts, books, scrolls, globes, maps, paintings, photographs, walls, and other artifacts and materials. We guide, manage and implement advanced digitization projects around the globe
Meta history - Who provides the data?
I recommend reading that but the tldr; is that the person who has the largest map collection in the world (David Rumsey) also had the means and connections to create and/or edit the maps in his collection.
We can read more about rbtoth on their about page: AboutUs
The father "Founded R.B. Toth Associates in 1981 to provide strategic services to the worldwide standardization and certification communities".
"Worldwide standardization and certification communities"? This sounds like quite a foundational position - if you define the standards, and what people can certify as authentic that's equivalent to being a DNS server on the internet. If you wanted to manage a close handle on the perceived reality, this is the kind of operation you would run.
Bob Toth pioneered today’s aerospace standards
He was deep in the fakery - establishing the standards and certifications for space and history!Bob worked to ensure the integrity of flight systems for the U.S. Army missile program that launched the first US satellite. This involved close coordination with Magnus and Werner Von Braun and the Jupiter rocket project team in Huntsville, AL. He subsequently developed the standards necessary to certify the Redstone rocket to launch the first US astronaut.
And his son?
From that blurb above, it seems the son is more interested in tools for historical research.
However, if one clicks the link to find out more about the Toths background we go to this page:
One Local Man Solves History’s Mysteries
We read:
He develops technology that allows "the human eye to detect previously unseen residues, undertext, and handprints. Then, in collaboration with scientists and scholars, the images are uploaded to the internet and shared with the world".A cultural-heritage researcher, he’s a kind of real-life Indiana Jones crossed with Robert Langdon of The Da Vinci Code (one of his next projects actually involves a painting by that master). The reason Toth is in such demand among historians, librarians, and cultural specialists: He spent years developing advanced imaging technology to photograph delicate manuscripts in extreme detail, so much so that it’s been described as “Photoshop on steroids.” These photographs are enhanced with ultraviolet and multispectral lights hued in green, red, blue, and infrared, allowing the human eye to detect previously unseen residues, undertext, and handprints. Then, in collaboration with scientists and scholars, the images are uploaded to the internet and shared with the world.
My question - perhaps the enhanced images do "show unseen residues, undertext, and handprints" but do the originals actually have this information? Are the enhancements verifiable? The imagery that is 'unseen by the human eye' is being shared with trusting professors and used to verify the magna carta and what have you - but is it even there?
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