AI reads text from ancient Herculaneum scroll
A 21-year-old computer scientist from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln developed the algorithm to read passages from the ancient scroll Herculaneum
Buried under the ash from Mount Vesuvius in the year 79 first time in history. The algorithm is based on detecting Greek letters from small surfaces in scrolls and revealed the word "porphyras," which means "purple."
The discovery opens up the possibility of the ancient scrolls being read and may influence future studies of the sacred objects of Greco-Roman culture. The Vesuvius Challenge offers a prize of US$700,000.
For those who could read these scrolls, it was beyond expectations. This discovery was an important historical event and had cultural meaning.
Read more: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-03212-1