For over four centuries, a priceless piece of Merlin's history remained hidden deep within an Elizabethan registry, used simply as a book cover. Today, thanks to advanced imaging techniques and the dedication of researchers from the University of Cambridge, a 700-year-old fragment of the Suite Vulgate du Merlin has come to light, revealing new and exciting details about the famous wizard and the court of King Arthur.

The fragment, written in Old French, is one of fewer than 40 surviving copies of a rare medieval version of the Merlin story. It had remained unrecorded and overlooked for centuries, initially thought to contain the story of Gawain. However, a team of researchers at Cambridge recognized its significance, and using cutting-edge technology, they were able to "unfold" and read it for the first time in centuries.