Researchers have successfully decoded two previously unreadable scrolls from the ancient Roman city of Herculaneum using high-resolution X-ray imaging and machine learning. Announced by the Vesuvius Challenge on June 25, the breakthrough reveals roughly 5 feet of Greek text across 20 columns from one scroll and more than 70 columns from a second, including potential new insights into Stoic philosophy and Epicurean writings, without the need to physically unroll the fragile, carbonized manuscripts.
How researchers read the Herculaneum scrolls
The Vesuvius Challenge team, led by University of Kentucky computer scientist Brent Seales, utilized a synchrotron to scan the scrolls. Because the scrolls were scorched by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in A.D. 79, they are effectively solid black lumps.
To solve this, the team used artificial intelligence to detect the ink ancient Romans used to write. According to the Vesuvius Challenge project, this "virtual unwrapping" allows scholars to visualize the ink on the interior layers of the scrolls, which were previously considered intellectually inaccessible.
What the newly decoded texts reveal
The primary scroll, designated PHerc. 1667, contains roughly 5 feet of continuous Greek text across 20 columns. Papyrologists, including Federica Nicolardi of the University of Naples Federico II, have analyzed the handwriting and stylistic elements of the text.
Initial findings suggest the document dates to the second or third century B.C., making it one of the oldest scrolls in the Herculaneum collection, which is dominated by the works of the Epicurean philosopher Philodemus. Experts believe the text is a Stoic treatise on ethics and human behavior. Notably, the manuscript mentions Aristocreon, the nephew and pupil of the influential Stoic philosopher Chrysippus. If the attribution is confirmed, this discovery represents a significant addition to the historical record of early Stoic thought.
Other discoveries in the Herculaneum collection
In addition to the Stoic treatise, researchers identified a new book title within scroll PHerc. 139. The text references the eighth book of Philodemus’ work, "On Gods." While scholars previously knew of the existence of "On Gods," this finding reveals that the work extended across at least eight volumes.
This discovery provides a roadmap for future research. Papyrologists intend to re-examine other scrolls in the Herculaneum collection to determine if additional volumes of this series are hidden within the remaining 600 unopened scrolls.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why were these scrolls unreadable for so long?
The eruption of Mount Vesuvius in A.D. 79 buried the scrolls in ash and scorched them into solid black lumps. Any attempt to physically unroll them resulted in damage; part of PHerc. 1667 was physically opened in the 1980s, but overlapping layers obscured the writing so badly that the scroll was given a readability score of zero.
What is the Vesuvius Challenge?
The Vesuvius Challenge is an international research effort to digitally read the scrolls that were preserved when Pompeii and Herculaneum were buried by ash and pumice in A.D. 79. It combines advanced imaging, artificial intelligence, academic research and an innovation contest.
Are there more scrolls to be found?
Yes. More than 600 Herculaneum scrolls remain unopened in the villa, which is thought to have been owned by the father-in-law of Julius Caesar. Researchers are currently working to apply the same X-ray and AI techniques to these remaining manuscripts.