When the eruption of Mount Vesuvius reached Herculaneum in AD79, it resulted in the town’s burial under layers of ash and pumice, tragically consuming hundreds of antique scrolls held in its library. These scrolls are akin to treasures for historians, and now, thanks to the assistance of artificial intelligence, there is a renewed hope that they may be deciphered.
Located in Campania, Italy, Mount Vesuvius is a somma-stratovolcano, situated on the Gulf of Naples, approximately 9 kilometers east of Naples, and in close proximity to the shoreline.
Almost two millennia later, researchers have successfully extracted the first word from one of these charred and fragile scrolls, signifying a significant step in the ongoing efforts to decipher their contents.
Computer scientist Professor Brent Seales of the University of Kentucky announced this groundbreaking discovery on October 12.
In March, Professor Seales and a team of experts launched the Vesuvius challenge to advance the reading of these ancient texts, offering cash prizes to researchers who could successfully extract words from the scorched scrolls.
The Herculaneum scrolls are regarded as some of the most iconic pieces of ancient literature. Unfortunately, these manuscripts are extensively damaged, largely inaccessible, and exceedingly fragile, making the process of unraveling them a daunting task.
Seales, along with his team, consisting of staff and student researchers from the Digital Restoration Initiative, has dedicated over two decades to developing techniques to salvage these ancient scrolls.
In an article from The Guardian, Stephen Parsons, a staff researcher from the digital restoration initiative, stated, “This is the first recovered text from one of these rolled-up, intact scrolls.”
Luke Farritor from Nebraska and Youssef Nader from Berlin, both computer science students, undertook the Vesuvius challenge and enhanced the search process. Independently, they discovered the same ancient Greek term within one of the scrolls: “???????c,” which translates to “purple.”
Seales explained, “This word is our first dive into an unopened ancient book, evocative of royalty, wealth, and even mockery. What will the context show? Pliny the Elder explores ‘purple’ in his ‘natural history’ as a production process for Tyrian purple from shellfish. The Gospel of Mark describes how Jesus was mocked as he was clothed in purple robes before crucifixion. What this particular scroll is discussing is still unknown, but I believe it will soon be revealed. An old, new story that starts for us with ‘purple’ is an incredible place to be.”
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