The use of artificial intelligence coupled with advanced scanning technology has produced the first visible text from ancient papyrus scrolls carbonized by Mount Vesuvius’s eruption in 79 A.D.
Key breakthrough: Researchers have successfully generated the first internal images of a Herculaneum scroll held at Oxford‘s Bodleian Library using a combination of AI and advanced X-ray technology.
- The scroll was scanned using a particle accelerator at Diamond Light Source laboratory near Oxford
- AI technology helped piece together images, detect ink, and enhance text clarity
- A 3D image allowed for virtual unrolling of the scroll through a process called segmentation
- One of the few deciphered words so far is the ancient Greek term for “disgust”
Historical context: The scrolls were discovered in the 1750s in the ruins of a Roman villa in Herculaneum, preserved but rendered unreadable by the volcanic eruption that destroyed both Herculaneum and Pompeii.
- Hundreds of papyrus scrolls were found in what’s known as the Villa of the Papyri
- The scrolls have been compressed to the size of candy bars
- Previous attempts to physically unroll the scrolls led to their destruction
- The vast majority of the scrolls are housed at the National Library of Naples
Technical approach: The “Vesuvius Challenge” competition, backed by tech executives in 2023, aims to use modern technology to unlock these ancient texts.
- Machine learning, computer vision, and geometry are being employed to decipher the scrolls
- The project combines artificial intelligence with human expertise
- University of Kentucky computer scientist Brent Seales co-founded the challenge
- Researchers believe image quality and text legibility can still be improved
Future implications: The development of portable scanning technology could enable the examination of approximately 1,000 additional scrolls stored in Naples.
- Peter Toth, Curator of Greek Collections at the Bodleian, emphasizes the need for improved imaging
- Researchers are working to develop mobile scanning solutions to avoid transporting fragile scrolls
- Scholars worldwide are being invited to participate in the text decipherment effort
Beyond the breakthrough: While this advancement represents a significant step forward in accessing ancient knowledge, the project’s success ultimately depends on developing more sophisticated AI interpretation tools and expanding the technical capabilities to handle the remaining scrolls safely.
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