What is palimsest?

A palimpsest is a manuscript that has been erased or scraped clean so that the writing on it can be reused, either by writing over it or by printing a new text on top. Palimpsests were often created in ancient times due to the high cost of parchment, which was a common writing surface. The erased or scraped text on a palimpsest can often still be seen faintly, either through the use of special technologies or through close examination of the manuscript. Palimpsests are prized by historians and scholars because they can provide insight into the writing practices and beliefs of earlier periods. Many important ancient texts, such as the Archimedes Palimpsest and the Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus, exist as palimpsests. The word "palimpsest" comes from the Ancient Greek "palin" (again) and "psēstós" (scraped).