In consultation with archaeologists, I learned the most practical way of documenting these fragile tablets was through 3D imaging and scanning. These ephemeral objects could be preserved indefinitely in a digital form.
A 3D scanned fragment of a sand tablet, here seen as an object on Rhino, a 3D modeling software. The scanner picks up a great amount of detail which can then be manipulated.
A 3D printed object, a replica of an original sand fragment, here printed in ABS plastic.
Screenshot from a Rhino model of a scanned object. Here the texture appears to have a glossy effect, making the sand look like it is wet or has a layer of water on it. The original text described the loss of water at Ain Adhari, a natural spring in Bahrain.