Papyrus scroll burnt to a crisp during Vesuvius eruption deciphered with help of AI
Scientists used artificial intelligence to virtually unroll and read papyrus scrolls carbonized during the AD 79 eruption of Mount Vesuvius. The recovered texts contain philosophical treatises on ethics, human behavior, and the arts. This process allows researchers to access the writing without physically opening the fragile manuscripts.
What changed
AI has now been used to reveal the complete text of a Herculaneum scroll and identify an unknown book by Philodemus.
Live updates
-
AI Deciphers Carbonized Herculaneum Scrolls from Vesuvius Eruption
confidence 90%Scientists used artificial intelligence to virtually unroll and read papyrus scrolls carbonized during the AD 79 eruption of Mount Vesuvius. The recovered texts contain philosophical treatises on ethics, human behavior, and the arts. This process allows researchers to access the writing without physically opening the fragile manuscripts.
What's confirmed:
- The scrolls were carbonized during the Mount Vesuvius eruption in AD 79.
- Researchers used artificial intelligence to virtually unwrap and decipher the papyrus scrolls.
- The recovered texts discuss Stoic philosophy, ethics, human behavior, and the arts.
- The manuscripts were part of a library discovered during an 18th-century archaeological dig.
- The process revealed text without the need to physically unroll the fragile scrolls.
Still unconfirmed:
- AI read an unknown book by Epicurean philosopher Philodemus.
- The writing was found on papyrus PHerc. 172 at a Roman mansion in Herculaneum.