Key facts
- AI was used to read text from a papyrus scroll carbonized by the Vesuvius eruption.
- The scroll, PHerc 1667, is from the 2nd or 3rd century BC and discusses stoic philosophy.
- The Vesuvius Challenge uses AI to virtually unwrap and decipher ancient scrolls.
- The newly read text explores concepts like 'hormē' (impulse) and 'phronēsis' (practical wisdom).
- Another scroll identified 'Philodemus, On Gods, Book 8', revealing it was a multi-book work.
Artificial intelligence has been instrumental in deciphering a nearly 2,000-year-old papyrus scroll that was carbonized during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Researchers successfully read 20 columns of text, covering over a meter of charred papyrus, without physically unrolling the fragile document. The scroll, identified as PHerc 1667, dates back to the second or late-third century BC and discusses stoic philosophy, focusing on ethics, art, and human behavior.
This achievement is part of the Vesuvius Challenge, a global contest launched in 2023 that utilizes AI and advanced software to virtually unwrap and read text from carbonized scrolls recovered from Herculaneum. The library, buried by volcanic ash in AD 79, contained hundreds of scrolls, many associated with the Epicurean philosopher Philodemus of Gadara. However, PHerc 1667's older age and content suggest a different author, possibly the Stoic philosopher Chrysippus, based on references to his nephew and pupil, Aristocreon.
Dr. Federica Nicolardi, a papyrologist involved in the analysis, noted that while the full scroll is not intact, the ability to unwrap and read even a portion is a significant breakthrough. The deciphered text delves into Stoic concepts such as 'hormē' (impulse) and 'phronēsis' (practical wisdom), warning against the dangers of unchecked behavior and emphasizing the importance of reason and innate goodness. Professor Brent Seales, a computer scientist whose work on machine-learning algorithms laid the foundation for the Vesuvius Challenge, expressed his excitement, likening the success to winning the World Cup. He highlighted that the focus is now shifting from the technical challenge of reading the scrolls to the scholarly work of understanding their content. Another scroll, also virtually unwrapped, revealed 'Philodemus, On Gods, Book 8', providing the first evidence that 'On Gods' was a multi-book work.