The University of Michigan runs a rare 10-day course on conserving ancient papyrus manuscripts.

It is the only one of its kind in the Americas, and one of few worldwide.

Nine scholars from countries including China, Ireland, Italy, and the U.S. took part.

Students worked on sheets that had likely not been touched in a century.

Michigan holds one of the largest papyrology collections in the world, with texts from 1000 B.C.E. to 1000 C.E.

It includes parts of Homer's epics, writings by Epicurus, and the oldest known copy of the Epistles of Paul.

Marieka Kaye manages preservation services at the university library.

She said she tries to make the work comfortable, since many people feel terrified handling ancient items.

The course teaches techniques for cleaning, storing, and documenting the fragile texts.

Papyrus and its ink can crumble or smear, so students learn to remove debris carefully and use controlled moisture to soften folds.

The seminar began in 2012 and runs every two years, except in 2020.

About 50 students have completed it.

Curator Giuliano Sidro said training new conservators is vital, or the craft will be lost.

Michigan's collection came from purchases and excavations at Karanis, Egypt, between 1924 and 1935.

Some participants can read the ancient languages, including Arabic, Greek, Latin, and Egyptian.

One student from Egypt said she will share what she learned in her home country and in Australia, acting as a link between nations.