Revolutionary AI Breakthrough Unlocks the Secrets of Ancient Herculaneum Scrolls

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The Herculaneum scrolls may initially appear nondescript, resembling mere lumps of coal. Having withstood the devastating eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, these ancient manuscripts, almost two millennia old, were at risk of disintegrating if anyone dared to unravel them. Until recently, the surviving fragments containing writings were deemed virtually unreadable to the naked eye.

A team of researchers has recently announced a groundbreaking discovery in which they successfully decoded the first complete word from an ancient papyrus that had remained unopened for over two thousand years. This significant achievement was made possible thanks to the utilization of computer technology and advanced artificial intelligence. The researchers initiated the "Vesuvius Challenge," a competition aimed at expediting the unveiling of valuable information contained within the scrolls. The decoded word, known as "πορφυρας" or "porphyras," holds the Greek translation for the color purple. The winning decipherment was accomplished by Luke Farritor, a computer science student from the University of Nebraska, who participated in the contest that required competitors to employ the "virtual wrapping" technique in order to uncover the concealed words within two rolled-up scrolls provided on the designated website.

The letters found were "πορφυρας" which is the Greek word "porphyras" and translates to the English word "purple."

Virtual unwrapping starts with computer tomography, an X-ray technique used to scan each rolled-up and distorted papyrus. Following the path of the curved layers in the scan, researchers proceed to digitally straighten the scrolls and examine them using advanced artificial intelligence (AI) specifically trained to detect the ink on the pages. Developed over a span of approximately 20 years, this groundbreaking technology has been spearheaded by Brent Seales, a computer science professor at the University of Kentucky.

But efforts to interpret the scrolls have been going on much longer.

Ancient scrolls uncovered from volcanic mud

The cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum in ancient Rome were covered in volcanic mud during the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD. Herculaneum and its scrolls remained buried until they were accidentally rediscovered in the early 1700s by a worker drilling a well, as noted by the Herculaneum Society. According to the University of Kentucky, approximately 1,100 carbonized scrolls, now known as the Herculaneum scrolls, were recovered from a building believed to be Julius Caesar's father-in-law's house. This collection is considered the only known large-scale library from classical antiquity.

In the 19th century, hundreds of scrolls were pulled apart by machine and the brittle papyri were left in pieces, according to the universitys website.

Hundreds of scrolls were pulled apart by machine and left in pieces in the 19th century.

Brent Seales

Michael McOsker, a postdoctoral researcher in papyrology at the University College London, like many other Herculaneum papyrologists, has been studying the previously unrolled scrolls. These unrolled scrolls have caused the papyri to be fragmented and difficult to read, according to McOsker, who was not involved in the discovery. He stated in an email that there is still a long way to go before being able to read a complete roll, which is the ultimate goal. However, he believes that this problem is now solvable and may not even take a significant amount of time.

I am fascinated by the unrolled papyri as they are both rewarding and significant. However, the prospect of having complete texts is truly a groundbreaking advancement. The abundance of options may seem overwhelming, but I am simply grateful for any new work from antiquity that comes to light. It is incredibly thrilling to delve into and study whatever we uncover.

Farritor and Youssef Nader, a graduate student in biorobotics at Freie University Berlin, independently discovered the same word. They were awarded the "First Letters Prize" amounting to $50,000. However, the grand prize of the Vesuvius Challenge, which amounts to $700,000 and is awarded to the first team capable of reading four continuous passages with a minimum length of 140 characters, is still available.

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By the end of this year, Seales aims to have a partially read scroll that meets the contest conditions, with hopes of decoding an entire scroll by the end of 2024.

This material traces back 2,000 years to its origin, where individuals articulated their thoughts and beliefs. Love, war, peace, and philosophical understandings were among the subjects passionately debated in these written dialogues. Discovering these ancient manuscripts not only illuminates our connection to humanity throughout history, but also holds profound importance, regardless of any specific knowledge gained.