Some fragments remain encased in vinylite, an early type of plastic that the scientists 60 years ago hoped would preserve them. Most of the papyrus, however, fills unopened boxes that line the shelves of vaults in the Bancroft museum. It's all wonderful stuff,' Bagnall said. Up to now, only about 6,500 fragments of the Berkeley papyrus have been photographed, but according to Bliss they include fragments of a lost play by the Greek dramatist Sophocles plus bits of Homer, Virgil and Euripides, and even an early fragment of Virgil written in a schoolboy's hand with a reed quill.
Plans are to make the material available over the internet.