Summary
Researchers used artificial intelligence (AI) to virtually unwrap and read a charred ancient scroll from the eruption of Mount Vesuvius nearly 2,000 years ago. The scroll, dating back to the 2nd or late-3rd century BC, contains a text about stoic philosophy, ethics, and human behavior.Key Facts
- The scroll was damaged and charred by the Vesuvius eruption in AD 79 and is only a small part of the original size.
- Scientists used AI and high-resolution X-ray images to read 20 columns of hidden text without physically opening the fragile scroll.
- The scroll, called PHerc 1667, is one of the oldest from the Herculaneum library, a Roman villa destroyed by the eruption.
- The text appears to be a stoic philosophical treatise, possibly written by the Greek philosopher Chrysippus.
- The Vesuvius Challenge, a global contest starting in 2023, helped develop AI methods to read these ancient scrolls.
- The scroll discusses stoic ideas like impulse (hormē) and practical wisdom (phronēsis), emphasizing reason and self-control.
- The project is led by Professor Brent Seales, who pioneered machine-learning techniques to read hidden text in X-ray scans.
- The success shows that it is possible to fully "unwrap" and read fragile ancient documents without causing damage.
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