Southeast Asian Illuminated Manuscripts: A Study of the Maritime Silk Road Using Scientific Imaging and AI

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This project would investigate how machine learning or AI can be used in conjunction with noninvasiveimaging techniques to determine multiple characteristics of maritime Southeast Asianmanuscripts. AI analytical methods would be designed and developed so that detailed information canbe found to answer many fundamental questions. To acquire the data aiding this task, imagingmethods such as X-ray fluorescence, Spectral Imaging, and OCT would be used so that multimodalanalysis could be performed using AI automation. My relevant experience includes an MSci ResearchProject involving in-depth spectral analysis of two Southeast Asian Islamic Manuscripts belonging tothe British Library. The manuscripts in question contained colophons stating their origins of writing inlocations within Southeast Asia, however the hand of the script, illumination and other aspects of themanuscripts suggested they instead had been written in Dagestan, Russia. I performed spectralcomparisons between coloured regions that were seemingly the same, however, the spectra recordedwere not, suggesting that the colophon had been added later. When doing the analysis to come tothese conclusions I developed my own programmes to calibrate and extract important dataautomatically, allowing for quicker analysis of large areas. I have previously studied English to AS leveland have a keen interest in historical literature. I also recently partook in a field trip to the Abbey Libraryof St. Gall in Switzerland where I performed Multi-Spectral, Ultraviolet Fluorescence, and Near Infra-redimaging on centuries old manuscripts of great historical and religious importance. The fieldworkallowed me to become accustomed to the importance of such manuscripts and provided largeamounts of hands on experience with imaging equipment and methods. During this I also performedpreliminary analysis of two manuscripts using automated techniques to uncover hidden writing anddrawings.