Thanks to the latest technology, Epicurus manuscripts can be read for the first time in the world’s only preserved ancient library, in Naples.
It is a true archaeological treasure made accessible thanks to the latest technologies. We can now read the texts of Epicurus, without taking the risk of damaging them. These parchments were deciphered as part of the “Vesuvius Challenge”, thanks to three artificial intelligence researchers appointed by the University of Kentucky. These texts were found in the Villa of the Papyri of Herculaneum, buried by the eruption which devastated the surroundings of Naples in the year 79 BC.
“The ‘Vesuvius Challenge’ solved for the first time the problem of the virtual unfolding of these scrolls,” explains Federica Nicolardi, papyrologist at the Federico II University of Naples, “and therefore of the opening of the charred scrolls, without them. touch. These are extremely compressed and carbonized rolls, therefore very compact, but at the same time very fragile”.
Using an X-ray micro-tomography technique, it was possible to reproduce the internal structure of a roller and recognize ink areas. Artificial intelligence looks for slight differences in density in the image and highlights them to help you read the whole thing.
“Artificial intelligence is able to understand what the ink looks like,” says artificial intelligence researcher Youssef Nasser, “even if it is not visible, but there are still patterns on the surface of the papyrus, so AI is able to capture them and make predictions.”
For the first time, researchers will be able to read the precious scrolls of the Villa of the Papyrus, without having to touch them.
“When I first realized that we were getting real complex sentences inside the parchment,” Youssef Nasser continues, “and saw part of the transcription, it was very humbling. You feel very lucky to be part of this adventure.”
The National Library of Naples houses the Study of the Papyri of Herculaneum, a laboratory for the conservation and study of the only ancient library preserved in the world. It contains 1,840 pieces, including scrolls and fragments found in the Papyri Villa of Herculaneum.
“We are impatiently awaiting the results of the “Vesuvius Challenge” for the rest of the collection,” says Federica Nicolardi, “because this would allow us to discover 250 to 300 completely new works.”
From now on, these scrolls dating back more than 2000 years will offer research perspectives and finally reveal their secrets.