Mixed Reality, as an emerging methodology and technology, is still something that seems to belong to science fiction and Hollywood movies. Whether it is Tony Stark in Avengers: Endgame running simulations via holograms in his living room to unlock time travel, or K’s relationship with his holographic partner Joi in Blade Runner 2049, the blending of the real world with holographic substitutes (or digital surrogates) seems far off in the distance in the context of everyday life. However, Microsoft’s HoloLens2 and Magic Leap’s Leap 2 headsets have already made the development of interactive holograms a reality. Along with the recent inception of folding smartphones, which essentially function as small computers, these devices continue to advance the concept of a post-keyboard world, i.e. the obsolesce of traditional desktop and laptop computers. For the Humanities, the initial question is simple. How can this new technology be incorporated into the workflows of researchers and instructors? After all, 3D modeling, which is the foundation for creating a hologram, is increasingly becoming common in the study of cultural heritage objects (CHOs). Whether it is a statue, a building, or even a painting, 3D models offer new ways to interact with and investigate CHOs (their state of conservation over time and even their material composition). And those 3D models are, for the most part, ready to be implemented into a Mixed Reality environment. Be that as it may, there are a few more complex questions that arise. What are the challenges in creating Mixed Reality applications? What skillsets are required? Can a researcher or instructor in the Humanities perform this task on their own, or is a larger interdisciplinary team required? In researching and teaching, is there any great difference between interacting with a 3D model on a computer vs. a hologram projected by a headset?

The purpose of this paper is to address these issues by providing an initial report on the use of Microsoft’s HoloLens2 in the context of studying ancient manuscripts and their languages. Using 3D models of carbonized papyri from Herculaneum and custom 3D models for Ancient Greek, we have developed prototype applications for the HoloLens2 using the Unreal Engine. Through this initial work we can see pathways to holographic exhibition of and research on manuscripts that cannot or should not be physically handled any longer. Furthermore, we can see how the reconstruction of CHOs and their texts can cognitively evolve into a haptic process in Mixed Reality, which potentially has a great benefit for the process of textual reconstruction and the learning of ancient languages in general.