An entire Herculaneum scroll has been read for the first time (scrollprize.org)

Article summary

Researchers have successfully read an entire Herculaneum scroll, known as PHerc. 1667, without physically unrolling it, using high-resolution X-ray scans and machine learning techniques. The scroll contains a philosophical treatise on ethics, likely a Stoic work, and is the first Herculaneum papyrus to be digitally unrolled and read in full. The method used to read the scroll is open and scalable, and the data and code are available for others to use. This breakthrough could lead to the reading of hundreds of other sealed scrolls from the Herculaneum library.

Main themes

• Herculaneum scrolls
• Virtual unwrapping
• Ancient philosophy
• Stoic and Epicurean thought
• Open science
• Machine learning applications

What commenters say

• The discovery of the scroll's contents is a significant breakthrough, but the rate of progress in deciphering the entire collection is uncertain due to the varying levels of damage and ink readability.
• The scrolls may contain a trove of lost works, including texts on Epicurean philosophy, which could shed new light on ancient thought.
• Some commentators believe that the discovery of Epicurean texts may not be as significant as finding historical accounts of events that have vanished from the record.
• The Epicurean philosophy is often misunderstood due to Christian propaganda, and its actual tenets are more nuanced and rational than popularly believed.
• The use of machine learning and open science methods has enabled non-experts to contribute to the project and make significant discoveries.
• The discovery of the scrolls' contents has sparked debate about the potential for finding lost literary works, including those from ancient Greek and Roman authors.
• The project's open approach has allowed for collaboration and verification of results, increasing the credibility of the findings.
• The significance of the discovery lies not only in the content of the scrolls but also in the potential for new insights into ancient culture and history.