Digitally unwrapping a charred scroll from Herculaneum, scientists are closer to revealing its contents, promising significant insights into ancient philosophical texts that have remained unreadable for centuries.
Ancient Herculaneum Scrolls Revealed: A 2,000-Year Secret Unwrapped with Technology
Ancient Herculaneum Scrolls Revealed: A 2,000-Year Secret Unwrapped with Technology
Advanced imaging and AI unveil text from charred scrolls, shedding light on lost Roman philosophy.
In an extraordinary breakthrough, scientists have digitally "unwrapped" a charred scroll from the Roman town of Herculaneum, providing insight for the first time in 2,000 years. This scroll, severely burnt during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79AD, resembles a charred lump of charcoal and is too fragile to be physically opened. However, thanks to cutting-edge technology comprising X-ray imaging combined with artificial intelligence, researchers have uncovered rows of text within the ancient document.
Though further analysis is needed to read all the text, the project's team expresses optimism about fully deciphering its contents. "We're confident we will be able to read pretty much the whole scroll in its entirety," said project lead Stephen Parsons, representing the Vesuvius Challenge—the international initiative dedicated to unlocking the scrolls of Herculaneum. Initial investigations suggest the text may encompass philosophical discussions.
The scroll belongs to a collection of hundreds of carbonized scrolls found in Herculaneum, which, similar to Pompeii, was buried under volcanic ash. Prior attempts to physically open such scrolls often resulted in their destruction. The Bodleian Library at the University of Oxford is home to several of these scrolls that had remained untouched for decades due to concerns about their fragility.
"It was with the hope that a new technological approach would be effective that we decided to retrieve one of the scrolls from storage," explained Nicole Gilroy, head of book conservation. The scroll was placed in a protective case and transported to the Diamond Light Source facility in Oxfordshire. Here, electrons are accelerated to high speeds, forming a powerful X-ray beam which non-invasively penetrates the scroll’s layers.
"This technology can visualize features as fine as a few thousandths of a millimeter," stated Adrian Mancuso, director of physical sciences at Diamond Light Source. The scanning process creates a 3D reconstruction of the scroll, with efforts then directed at differentiating between its layered structure to facilitate a digital unrolling.
The challenge of distinguishing the carbon-based ink from the carbonized papyrus itself is another significant hurdle. AI plays a crucial role here, identifying subtle hints of ink and digitally revealing the letters. "We can confirm that the entire scroll is filled with text," Parsons remarked. As the process continues, he ensures the hope of progressing from a few words to larger passages is palpable.
In a prior attempt, a team associated with the Vesuvius Challenge successfully read approximately 5% of another Herculaneum scroll, uncovering Greek Epicurean philosophy—a pursuit for fulfillment through everyday pleasure. This current scroll is likely to reflect similar philosophical themes, yet the team acknowledges that more ingenuity, both human and artificial, will be necessary to ascertain its specifics.
Beyond the project’s technical aspects, Gilroy cherishes the human connection the scrolls embody. "There’s a real human aspect to it that I just think is really precious," she stated, reminding us of the individuals behind these ancient texts. As technology bridges the gap between centuries, scholars remain hopeful in unlocking the wisdom of the ancients.
Though further analysis is needed to read all the text, the project's team expresses optimism about fully deciphering its contents. "We're confident we will be able to read pretty much the whole scroll in its entirety," said project lead Stephen Parsons, representing the Vesuvius Challenge—the international initiative dedicated to unlocking the scrolls of Herculaneum. Initial investigations suggest the text may encompass philosophical discussions.
The scroll belongs to a collection of hundreds of carbonized scrolls found in Herculaneum, which, similar to Pompeii, was buried under volcanic ash. Prior attempts to physically open such scrolls often resulted in their destruction. The Bodleian Library at the University of Oxford is home to several of these scrolls that had remained untouched for decades due to concerns about their fragility.
"It was with the hope that a new technological approach would be effective that we decided to retrieve one of the scrolls from storage," explained Nicole Gilroy, head of book conservation. The scroll was placed in a protective case and transported to the Diamond Light Source facility in Oxfordshire. Here, electrons are accelerated to high speeds, forming a powerful X-ray beam which non-invasively penetrates the scroll’s layers.
"This technology can visualize features as fine as a few thousandths of a millimeter," stated Adrian Mancuso, director of physical sciences at Diamond Light Source. The scanning process creates a 3D reconstruction of the scroll, with efforts then directed at differentiating between its layered structure to facilitate a digital unrolling.
The challenge of distinguishing the carbon-based ink from the carbonized papyrus itself is another significant hurdle. AI plays a crucial role here, identifying subtle hints of ink and digitally revealing the letters. "We can confirm that the entire scroll is filled with text," Parsons remarked. As the process continues, he ensures the hope of progressing from a few words to larger passages is palpable.
In a prior attempt, a team associated with the Vesuvius Challenge successfully read approximately 5% of another Herculaneum scroll, uncovering Greek Epicurean philosophy—a pursuit for fulfillment through everyday pleasure. This current scroll is likely to reflect similar philosophical themes, yet the team acknowledges that more ingenuity, both human and artificial, will be necessary to ascertain its specifics.
Beyond the project’s technical aspects, Gilroy cherishes the human connection the scrolls embody. "There’s a real human aspect to it that I just think is really precious," she stated, reminding us of the individuals behind these ancient texts. As technology bridges the gap between centuries, scholars remain hopeful in unlocking the wisdom of the ancients.
