Artificial Intelligence (AI) has recently enabled scholars to decipher texts from ancient scrolls buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79, a feat that marks a significant breakthrough in the field of archaeology and digital humanities. These scrolls, discovered in the 18th century in the ancient Roman town of Herculaneum, were carbonized by the volcanic heat, rendering them unreadable through conventional means. The scrolls, resembling charred logs, have long posed a challenge to researchers due to their fragile nature, as even the slightest touch could reduce them to ash.
The initiative, known as the Vesuvius Challenge, was led by Professor Brent Seales, a computer scientist at the University of Kentucky. Supported by Silicon Valley executive Nat Friedman, the challenge used X-ray technology combined with machine learning algorithms to discern minute differences in the texture of the scrolls. This innovative approach enabled the virtual unspooling of the scrolls, revealing texts without physically opening them, thus preserving their integrity.
A significant achievement of this project was made by a team of three students from Egypt, Switzerland, and the U.S., who successfully deciphered more than 2,000 Greek letters from one of the scrolls. Their work revealed passages from the writings of Philodemus, an Epicurean philosopher, discussing the nature of pleasure in relation to food and music. This discovery not only sheds light on Philodemus’s philosophical views but also offers a rare glimpse into the intellectual life of the period just before the eruption that devastated Herculaneum and nearby Pompeii.
The deciphered texts emphasize the Epicurean belief that pleasure is the chief good in life, contrasting with Stoic indifference to physical pleasure. Philodemus’s writings, as revealed through AI, discuss how the scarcity or abundance of food and other goods affects the pleasure derived from them, reflecting his broader philosophical inquiries into the nature of pleasure and happiness.
The success of the Vesuvius Challenge has significant implications for the study of ancient texts. It demonstrates the potential of AI and digital technologies to unlock the secrets of the past, providing access to works that were previously thought to be lost to history. Moreover, this approach can be applied to other ancient documents, potentially revolutionizing our understanding of ancient civilizations.
The discovery also highlights the collaborative nature of modern scholarship, where technology and humanities intersect to solve historical puzzles. The Vesuvius Challenge has set a precedent for future efforts in the digital analysis of ancient texts, paving the way for more discoveries that could reshape our understanding of the ancient world. With hundreds of scrolls still awaiting decipherment, the potential for new insights into ancient philosophy, literature, and daily life is enormous, promising to enrich our knowledge of human history in profound ways.