I have used a variety of raking light sources to try to decipher worn marble
inscriptions.  Try either artificial flood or with white foam core boards
reflecting daylight upward or sideways.  It takes a while to find the proper
shadows and to have your eyes adjust but, eventually, it is possible to make
out some of the remaining text.  Once you have some of the letters or words
logical deduction takes over.  In one instance a legible photo of the text
showed up after we did the study and confirmed that we were 80% to 90%
accurate on text that was almost totally gone.  Computer enhancement can
also work but I have not had as much success here.  Scan in the raking light
images into PhotoShop and try sharpening, darkening, increasing contrast.

Mark
-----Original Message-----
From: Pat Morrissey <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
<[log in to unmask]>
Date: Tuesday, September 07, 1999 9:48 PM
Subject: Grave Markers


>While at a town meeting in East Haven the Historic Commission discussed the
>town's cemetery and with sites over 200 years old and original stones of
>slate,
>marking on the stones are almost non-existent. What method or equipment, if
>any, is
>available to "read" the impressions/names/dates on the stone which may not
be
>visible to the naked eye?
>P J Morrissey
>ConSpec Associates, Inc.
>www.conspec-rep.com
>203-467-4426
>203-469-2352 Fax
>888-250-7908 Beeper
>917-209-5363 Mobile