A 3,300-year-old Egyptian papyrus has revealed that ancient artists used a correction fluid similar to modern white-out, researchers said.
Curators at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge discovered while preparing objects for an exhibition. During close examination, they noticed unusual markings on one papyrus.
The document showed a drawing of a jackal that had been altered. A thick white substance had been applied over earlier lines, making the animal appear slimmer.
Correction found in the funerary manuscript
The papyrus is part of the Book of the Dead, a collection of spells believed to guide the dead through the afterlife. It was created for a royal scribe named Ramose, who lived in the early 13th century B.C.E. The scene shows Ramose placing his hands along a jackal-headed deity, likely Wepwawet.
Curator Helen Strudwick said the change appeared intentional. “It’s as if someone saw the original way the jackal was painted and said, ‘It’s too fat; make it thinner,’” she said. The artist reshaped the figure by adding white lines along both sides of the body and the upper parts of its back legs.
Scientific analysis reveals material composition
Researchers used infrared imaging to confirm that the white lines were added after the original drawing. This showed the correction was made during the production process.
Scientists have found something surprising in a 3,300-year-old Egyptian papyrus. Ancient artists used a form of “white-out” to fix mistakes.
In a copy of the Book of the Dead, a jackal figure was reshaped using a white mix of calcite + huntite. pic.twitter.com/yRwKM5aHKC— Tom Marvolo Riddle (@tom_riddle2025) March 17, 2026
A 3D digital microscope revealed that the material was a mixture of calcite and huntite, both white carbonates. In contrast, the paint used for Ramose’s robes was made only from huntite. Experts said the mixture likely provided stronger coverage, allowing the artist to adjust the figure without removing earlier work.
Subtle details helped conceal the correction
Microscopic analysis also revealed small flecks of yellow paint within the correction layer. Researchers said this was likely added to help the repair blend into the papyrus, which would have appeared lighter when new. The finding suggests that the artist aimed not only to correct the mistake but also to hide it.
Strudwick said similar corrections have been identified on papyri held at the British Museum and the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, though they are often overlooked.
Papyrus restored and preserved
The papyrus was discovered in 1922 at Sedment in Middle Egypt by archaeologist William Flinders Petrie. It later entered the Fitzwilliam Museum’s collection.
The scroll once extended more than 60 feet but broke into many fragments over time. A specialist conservator reassembled it in the early 2000s. It is now considered one of the finest surviving examples of its kind.
The discovery forms part of research linked to an exhibition on ancient Egyptian craftsmanship. The display highlights the skilled workers who created royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings.
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