AI system reads burned Vesuvius scrolls, revealing lost ancient texts
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Researchers have achieved a breakthrough in classical archaeology after artificial intelligence successfully deciphered new passages from papyrus scrolls carbonised during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.
The scrolls, part of the Herculaneum library, were long considered unreadable due to being fused into solid, charcoal‑like cylinders.
The project, led by computer scientists and papyrologists, used AI‑enhanced imaging to detect faint ink traces hidden beneath layers of carbonised material. High‑resolution scans from particle accelerators were combined with machine‑learning models trained to recognise ancient Greek handwriting. The system has now revealed previously unknown philosophical texts, including discussions on music, pleasure, and ethics.
The achievement marks one of the most significant advances in the decades‑long effort to recover the Herculaneum library — the only surviving intact library from antiquity. Researchers say the technology could eventually unlock hundreds of still‑sealed scrolls, offering an unprecedented window into Roman intellectual life before the disaster that buried Pompeii and Herculaneum.
Photo: The ancient Roman city of Herculaneum, Italy
By Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=137044683
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- File:Antigua ciudad de Herculano, Italia, 2023-03-27, DD 135-138 PAN.jpg
- Created: 27 March 2023
- Uploaded: 5 September 2023
Further Reading:
https://vesuviuschallenge.org/?