Scientists are using a combination of artificial intelligence and human expertise to decipher ancient scrolls that were carbonized by a volcanic eruption 2,000 years ago.
Discovered in the 1750s at the Roman town of Herculaneum, hundreds of papyrus scrolls were found among the ruins of a luxurious villa. The town was destroyed along with neighboring Pompeii when Mt. Vesuvius erupted in A.D. 79.
The library, known as the Villa of the Papyri, holds valuable information about ancient thought. However, the scrolls, which have been rolled up to the size of a candy bar, are unreadable due to the heat and volcanic ash from Vesuvius.
Over the past 250 years, scholars and scientists have been trying to find ways to decipher these scrolls, most of which are housed in the National Library of Naples.
In 2023, tech executives sponsored the “Vesuvius Challenge” competition, offering cash prizes for efforts to decipher the scrolls using machine learning, computer vision, and geometry.
A breakthrough was announced recently, revealing the first image of the inside of one of the scrolls held at Oxford University’s Bodleian Library.
The scroll was scanned using a particle accelerator and AI was used to piece together the images, search for ink, and enhance the clarity of the text. While only a few words have been deciphered so far, scholars are encouraged to join in the effort to complete the text.
Despite the progress, there is still a long process ahead to fully decipher the scrolls. The hope is to improve the image quality and legibility of the text, possibly making the technology available locally to avoid transporting the fragile scrolls.
With around 1,000 more scrolls in Naples waiting to be deciphered, the use of AI and human expertise offers a promising way to unlock the secrets of ancient history.
By Jill Lawless and Pan Pylas
