audio extraction from ancient pottery..

[bubbagump]

Found this in Digg. Click on the 'Lire la vidéo' link. Supposedly French scientists have been able to extract audio from the grooves in ancient pottery, much like a vinyl lp. Hard to say if it's true yet. Hopefully an English translation will pop up. If it is true, it's the most interesting archeological discovery in a long time.

http://www.zalea.org/article.php3?id_article=496

[RoyY51]

I've read about this phenomena before. Apparently, a few ancient potters hit upon a way to afix a stylus to a sliding support, thus lending superior uniformity to the previously hand held windings on the surface of their pottery. And sometimes, if conditions were just right (Jupiter aligned with Mars, etc...) this device was actually able to pick up external sounds (children playing, nearby conversations) in much the same way as early recordings were made. I don't speak or read French, so I don't know if your link is saying the same thing, but it sure is a fascinating subject to think about! Thomas Edison must be turning over in his grave!

[Kaboom]

ok watching the video confirms what Roy says, but it doesnt talk about the sliding support, though it makes total sense since the flesh would very much dampen the sound and make it impossible. but yeah i'm guessing if the moisture of the vase was right and the support was rigid enough... its totally possible.
The CD says they have done this research on a couple of vases so far, and have found a fragment of a latin phrase within the grooves of one of them. They are going to conduct the research upon several hundred other vases and see what they find. they intend to release a CD with all the recordings.
cheers!