Latest news with #Bodleian
The Sun
06-05-2025
- Science
- The Sun
Title of scroll burnt to a crisp by Mt Vesuvius 2,000 years ago finally read by AI – & we even know who wrote them
RESEARCHERS have deciphered the title and author of a charred scroll destroyed by the Mount Vesuvius eruption 2,000 years ago. The tightly bound scroll cannot be opened since its delicate, burnt pages would only fall apart. 6 6 6 Therefore, researchers have used a cutting-edge technique hinging on artificial intelligence (AI) to reveal the lost text. The scroll was discovered in Herculaneum, an ancient Roman town that was buried under the massive volcanic fallout from Mount Vesuvius. After 'virtually unwrapping' scroll PHerc. 172, researchers discovered it was titled On Vices by the Greek philosopher Philodemus. The text offered ancient Romans guidance for cultivating a virtuous life, according to researchers. Philodemus, who lived between roughly 110 and 30 BCE, was an Epicurean philosopher and poet from Gadara. The University of Oxford's Bodleian Library holds a number of the scrolls, which have been left untouched for decades. But recent advancements in technology have allowed the scrolls to be 3D reconstructed with powerful X-ray beams without damaging them. Once researchers have identified each layer of the scroll, AI is used to detect the ink. The ink is digitally painted onto the scroll, for researchers to decipher. As part of an international competition, researchers have found the title and author inside of a sealed scroll for the first time. The Vesuvius Challenge awards money to all those who can help decipher the charred scrolls housed at the Bodleian Libraries at the University of Oxford. Researchers behind this latest feat have been awarded the Vesuvius Challenge First Title Prize, which includes prize money of $60,000. This was achieved by two parties at roughly the same time - Sean Johnson from the Vesuvius Challenge, and Marcel Roth and Micha Nowak from the University of Würzburg. The pages of the relic PHerc. 172 were first published in February, the title page had yet to be deciphered. PHerc.172 is one of roughly 800 scrolls unearthed in the Villa of the Papyri, a luxurious estate believed to have belonged to Lucius Calpurnius Piso Caesoninus, Julius Caesar's father-in-law. How AI & X-rays are unravelling scroll secrets AI and X-rays are revolutionising the study of ancient scrolls by enabling researchers to virtually "unroll" and decipher texts that are too fragile to handle physically. X-rays, particularly advanced methods like X-ray micro-computed tomography (micro-CT), create highly detailed 3D scans of scrolls. These scans capture the layers of tightly wound or damaged parchment or papyrus without physically unrolling them, preserving their integrity. X-rays can also detect variations in density caused by metallic or carbon-based inks used in ancient writing. AI algorithms, particularly those using deep learning, can segment layers of text by identifying and separating individual layers of the scroll from 3D X-ray data, isolating the text for analysis. They can also recognise text by enhancing faint markings or patterns corresponding to ancient writing, often revealing characters that are invisible to the naked eye. AI algorithms can reconstruct incomplete sections as well. Machine-learning models can fill in the gaps or predict any missing text. For scrolls where X-rays detect ink differences, AI can distinguish metallic inks - typically used in later periods of history - from carbon-based inks, enabling a more detailed and context-sensitive interpretation. Advanced imaging can also track even faint remnants of ink strokes, reconstructing text in incredible detail. The villa, based in Herculaneum, was thought to house one of the finest libraries of antiquity, including works of Greek philosophy and possibly undiscovered Roman literature. The first milestone in the Vesuvius Challenge was reached in February 2024, when three students shared a $700,000 prize for reading parts of another scroll. The success of the competition has attracted tech moguls like Elon Musk, who funded later phases of the competition. 6 6
Daily Mail
06-05-2025
- Science
- Daily Mail
Herculaneum scroll's secret AUTHOR is uncovered after 2,000 years - as scientists use AI to virtually unwrap the priceless manuscript
Few objects pique the curiosity of academics quite like the Herculaneum scrolls – the ancient documents buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79. These priceless rolled-up documents carry ancient text written in carbon-based ink on papyrus – a material similar to paper made from the pith of the papyrus plant. Now, for the first time, researchers have found the title and author inside one of the scrolls known as PHerc. 172, housed at Bodleian Libraries in Oxford. With the help of AI, it has been identified as 'On Vices' by the Greek philosopher Philodemus, a historic ethical treatise providing guidance for 'cultivating a virtuous life'. In recognition of this achievement, researchers have been awarded the Vesuvius Challenge First Title Prize, which includes prize money of $60,000/£45,000. Bodley's Librarian Richard Ovenden said: 'Finding the full title of a work inside a scroll that has been unread for two millennia is an astonishing achievement. '[It] illustrates the huge potential for AI to transform arts and humanities scholarship, our understanding of the past, and breathes new life into ancient artefacts.' 'On Vices' – or to give it its full name 'On Vices and Their Opposite Virtues and In Whom They Are and About What' – is already known about, but this particular text may a volume of 'On Vices' which no-one has accessed since the eruption. While the first images of the inside of the scroll were published in February 2025, experts have now discovered the title page within the innermost part of the scroll - 'Φ Ι Λ Ο̣ Δ Η Μ Ο̣ Υ̣ Π Ε̣ Ρ Ι Κ Α̣ Κ̣ Ι Ⲱ Ν A or Philodemos On Vices Almost destroyed by Mount Vesuvius, the Herculaneum scrolls are thought to contain profound philosophical and literary texts from ancient Greek and Roman scholars. The problem is that any attempts to unroll the burnt cylinders will turn them to dust because they are so fragile – meaning the words would be lost forever. So, scientists have been turning to ingenious methods such as x-ray scanning, ink-detection software and AI to virtually 'unroll' them. Following the scanning of scroll PHerc. 172 in July 2024 at the Diamond Light Source in Harwell, Oxfordshire, data was released publicly. Vesuvius Challenge – which is the organisation behind the initiative – invited researchers worldwide to contribute to deciphering the text. The first images of the inside of scroll PHerc. 172 had were publishe, revealing fascinating fragments of Greek text. But the title page was at the very centre it was considerably harder to read – requiring considerable analysis before it could be accurately interpreted. This was independently achieved by two parties at roughly the same time – by Sean Johnson from the Vesuvius Challenge, and contestant research team Marcel Roth and Micha Nowak from the University of Würzburg, Germany. These ancient rolls of papyrus are thought to contain profound philosophical and literary texts from ancient Greek and Roman scholars Even if scientists were able to physically unfurl the scroll, ink markings would be invisible to the naked human eye due to the burnt papyrus How AI virtually unfurls Herculaneum scrolls Firstly, at the Diamond Light Source in Oxfordshire, x-rays are shot at the scrolls to create scans and a 3D reconstruction. AI is used to detect the areas of the papyrus that were touched by ink to reveal the Greek text. This is made especially difficult due to the use of carbon-based ink when the text was written. The papyrus was effectively turned to carbon lumps when the Herculaneum villa where the scrolls were kept was engulfed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. The pair have been awarded the first Vesuvius Challenge First Title Prize, in recognition of their work, which has independently reviewed and verified by the Vesuvius Challenge papyrological team. 'The simultaneous reproduction of the title image from multiple sources, along with independent scholarly review, provides a high degree of confidence in the reading,' Bodleian Libraries said in a statement. Author of 'On Vices', Philodemus (c. 110-30 BC), was an philosopher and poet from Gadara, an ancient Hellenistic city in what is now Jordan. His ethical teachings emphasised the pursuit of pleasure as central to a good life, while arguing against rigid logic and formal rhetoric. Belonging to the an Epicurean school of thought, Philodemus believed philosophy should serve practical human happiness rather than abstract intellectual debate. His works make up the majority of the library in the Villa of Papyri at Herculaneum were the famous scrolls were buried, so it is unsurprising that he was the author of this work too, experts say. Whilst the scroll's author and title are now clear, where the text sits within the On Vices series, known by scholars to be at least 10 books long, is still open to interpretation. The book number in the title image can be read as an alpha, indicating that this scroll is 'Book 1', but it could also be 'delta', suggesting Book 4. Hundreds of the scrolls - scorched in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius - were destroyed during early attempts to unroll them Other books from the On Vices are known from the Herculaneum papyri that were physically unrolled. The best known are On Property Management (Book 9) and On Arrogance (Book 10), but there are others too, so there is still much to learn. Michael McOsker, a researcher in Papyrology at University College London, called the latest discovery 'a very exciting development'. '[We have] a great opportunity to learn more about Philodemus' ethical views and to get a better view of the On Vices as a whole, especially if it turns out to be the first book,' he said. 'It's great that progress continues apace and we'll soon be able to read these rolls in their entireties.' A brief history of the Herculaneum scrolls The saga of the Herculaneum scrolls goes back nearly 2,000 years when the Italian settlements of Pompeii, Torre Annunziata, Stabiae and Herculaneum were destroyed by the Vesuvius eruption of AD 79, killing an estimated 16,000 people. One of the buildings buried in Herculaneum was a large villa, possibly belonging to Lucius Calpurnius Piso Caesonius, the father-in-law of Julius Caesar. The large library of the villa contained more than 1,800 papyrus scrolls that were turned to carbon lumps in the eruption. In the 1750s, excavations began on the villa and a number of scrolls were destroyed or thrown away in the belief that they were worthless chunks of charcoal. Unfortunately, hundreds more were destroyed during attempts to unroll the scrolls, which are mostly held at the National Library in Naples. A few hundred scrolls were excavated that were never opened, and remain rolled up with their contents sealed away - waiting to reveal potentially profound lessons for modern society. In 1756, Abbot Piagio, conserver of ancient manuscripts in the Vatican Library, invented a machine that could unroll a single manuscript in four years, but it unfortunately destroyed a lot of the work. In the early 1800s, PHerc.172 and other scrolls were given to the future George IV of England by Ferdinand IV, the king of Naples and Sicily - allegedly in exchange for some kangaroos - before winding up at the Bodleian Library. Modern attempts have focused on digital methods to read the texts without physically unrolling the papyri to prevent damage. Known as 'virtual unrolling', such attempts commonly use X-rays and other light sources to scan the objects and reveal previously unknown text. One technique called shortwave infrared hyperspectral imaging picks up variations in the way light bounces off the black ink on the papyrus. A newly discovered passage from one of the scrolls using this technique has revealed that Plato spent his last night blasting a slave girl's 'lack of rhythm' as she played the flute. The philosopher, who was suffering from a fever, had been listening to music and welcoming guests before he died at the age of 80 or 81 in around 348BC. The scroll also helped to confirm that Plato was buried at the Academy of Athens, which he founded. But it adds the detail that the ancient thinker's resting place was in a designated garden within the university grounds.
Gizmodo
06-05-2025
- Science
- Gizmodo
AI Identifies Author of Charred Scroll Buried by Vesuvius for 2,000 Years
For the first time, researchers have identified the author and title of a document that's been locked inside a charred scroll for nearly 2,000 years—without peeling back a single layer. The scroll, PHerc. 172, was recovered from the ruins of Herculaneum, the ancient Roman town buried by the ash and debris of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE. The scroll is one of three Herculaneum scrolls that now reside at Oxford's Bodleian Libraries. Thanks to high-resolution scans and some seriously clever machine learning, scholars were able to virtually 'unwrap' the papyrus and read the name inside: On Vices, by the Epicurean philosopher Philodemus. The treatise—its full name being On Vices and Their Opposite Virtues and In Whom They Are and About What, according to Fine Books Magazine, is basically ancient self-help, exploring how to live a virtuous life by avoiding vice. Philodemus wrote the work in the first century BCE and it is now being read for the first time since it was buried in the devastating volcanic eruption nearly 2,000 years ago. The discovery—confirmed by multiple research teams—earned the project's collaborators the $60,000 First Title Prize from the Vesuvius Challenge, an open-science competition that's been making ancient texts readable using AI. In recent years, artificial intelligence has been instrumental in deciphering the ancient, carbonized scrolls from Herculaneum, a Roman town buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79. These scrolls, first discovered in the 18th century in what is now known as the Villa of the Papyri, comprise one of the only surviving libraries from the classical world. Due to their fragile, charred condition, traditional (read: manual) methods of unrolling the scrolls often destroyed them. Now, researchers are using advanced imaging and machine learning to read these texts without ever opening them. The turning point came in 2015, when scientists used X-ray tomography to read a different ancient scroll from En-Gedi, creating a 3D scan that could be virtually 'unwrapped.' Building on this, researchers at the University of Kentucky developed the Volume Cartographer, a program that uses micro-CT imaging to detect the faint traces of carbon-based ink on the scrolls. Because the ink contains no metal, unlike many ancient writing materials, a neural network had to be trained to recognize subtle patterns indicating ink on the carbonized papyrus. In 2019, researchers successfully demonstrated this technique, setting the stage for broader applications. These breakthroughs culminated in the Vesuvius Challenge, launched in 2023 to crowdsource the decoding of unopened scrolls. Participants use AI tools—particularly convolutional neural networks and transformer models—to identify and reconstruct text within the scrolls. In October 2023, the first word ('purple') was read from an unopened scroll, earning a $40,000 prize. The challenge continues, with prizes offered for deciphering additional text and improving the technology. Brent Seales, a computer scientist at the University of Kentucky and co-founder of the Vesuvius Challenge, told The Guardian that the team's current bottleneck is cleaning, organizing, and enhancing the scan data so that researchers can actually interpret the carbonized ink as text. Importantly, the digital unwrapping process is guided by human expertise. AI highlights likely areas of ink on the ancient documents, but scholars interpret the patterns to determine if they form coherent words or phrases. The goal is not only to recover lost philosophical texts, many of which are possibly by Epicurus or his followers, but also to establish a scalable system for digitizing and decoding ancient texts—transforming our understanding of the classical world.
The Guardian
27-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
I've never kept a diary. But if I had, I'd want it destroyed when I die
A few years ago, a friend asked me to be her 'literary executor'. We were both, I think, tickled by the grandiose sound of it, as if I would be playing off competing bids from the Bodleian and the New York Public Library for her juvenilia and early drafts (she is not actually primarily a writer). What she wants, though, is quite serious: I am to destroy her diaries when she dies. That is because they aren't meant for anyone's eyes but her own. Whatever is in there (I don't know, didn't ask), it was never meant for public consumption. Many diarists feel that way: Sheila Hancock wrote about destroying decades' worth of hers: 'Maybe this vicious, verging-on-insane woman is the real me, but if it is I don't want my daughters to find out.' Perhaps the late Joan Didion needed someone like me in her life. The response to the recent publication of her therapy journals, Notes to John, has mostly spanned unease to stark horror. Just those words 'therapy journals' explain why, but dismayed reviewers have found them 'naked', 'raw' and 'brutal' and Didion's writing 'frequently boring', full of pain that had not been distilled and crafted into the precise, controlled beauty of the life writing she chose to publish. Her assistant, Cory Leadbeater, described their publication as 'a deeply uncomfortable thing'. There is a sense of violation – what is it doing out there, in public? It's tricky. We would have been deprived of some extraordinary writing if private diaries and journals were never published, from Samuel Pepys to Sylvia Plath or Kenneth Williams. I'm currently reading the Australian author Helen Garner's, which are full of intimate pain (when an editor suggested their publication, Garner initially, understandably, 'freaked') but also luminous observation, humour and joy. Reviewing them, Leslie Jamison noted, 'Sometimes we want the unmade beds, with messy sheets … the fossils of curled hairs on the pillow, the faint salt of dried sweat.' It can feel grubbily prurient, peering at the diary writer's dirty laundry, but it can also be transporting or deeply comforting. I think we have accepted the idea of diaries as entertainment too: think of the vogue for events where people read mortifying extracts from their teenage journals, or the publication of more public-facing ones. Alan Bennett and David Sedaris must write with at least one eye to future publication. Garner burned her earlier diaries, but eventually chose to edit, anonymise, then publish these later ones. You can see an ambivalence about exposure in how some diarists treat their material: Pepys wrote in hard-to-decipher shorthand, but had his diaries bound and carefully preserved. There is an argument that Didion – perfectly aware of her own image and cachet – must have known anything she left behind would end up published. 'My guess is … she would completely understand the literary interest,' Leadbeater added. But there must be a safe place for the entirely private diary – somewhere to tease out pain or document the ordinary, occasionally sublime day-to-day, purely for yourself. That is what makes me wish I had the discipline. 'For a diarist life ceases to be an indistinct blur. Experiences are there in sharp focus,' Michael Palin said of his lifelong habit. As I get older, I am realising how dense the blur has become, childhood and adolescence reduced to a few half-remembered, probably wrongly, vignettes. I can't conjure many memories of my sons as babies either; I would love to have recorded those endless days before the years sprinted away from me. The thing is, though, I know any diary I wrote would have been too horrifically cringey to reread: self-conscious 'literary' pretension, interspersed with whining and domestic resentment (the passages that resonated most in Garner's diaries were the comforting likes of 'I am the only one who ever cleans the lavatories'). I want to burn mine and they don't even exist. Some underbellies just aren't supposed to be exposed and I hate the idea of that happening to anyone, however famous, however beautiful or revelatory their writing might have been. That is why I have no problem with my mission. It doesn't matter if my friend might have been the Pepys of our age: I shall execute my orders without a peep. Emma Beddington is a Guardian columnist
BBC News
15-03-2025
- General
- BBC News
Royal manuscript on display for Oxford library's anniversary
A newly discovered royal manuscript will go on public display on the anniversary of a University of Oxford Bodleian Libraries will unveil the document, a 13th Century translation of the New Testament into old French, on 21 will coincide with the 10th anniversary celebration of the Weston Library, the home of its special collections. Visitors will be able to see the manuscript on 22 and 23 March for the first time after it was held in private ownership for 300 years. The manuscript was owned by the future King of France, Jean le Bon, before passing through the hands of three members of the English Royal Family - Thomas of Lancaster, Edmund Beaufort, and Duke names were erased from it but have now been revealed by ultraviolet light. It has finely decorated initials attributed to the artist known as the Cholet Master. Duke Humfrey gave the University of Oxford a priceless collection of books, though this document does not appear to have been part of the was purchased with the support of the National Heritage Memorial Fund and Art Fund and other benefactors, following a temporary export bar by the government. Martin Kauffman, head of early and rare collections at the Bodleian, said it was an early example of the New Testament translated into French for laypeople."As the Middle Ages wore on, more people wanted to read it for themselves who didn't know Latin," he manuscript will go on display in Weston's Blackwell Kauffman added that from 21 March, it would also be available to read on Digital Weston Library, which is also a working library and research centre, underwent a redevelopment that was completed in the last decade, it has presented 234 public events, and hosted many notable exhibitions including Tolkien: Maker of Middle-earth in Kauffman said the manuscript unveiling showed that the Weston was "very much building on that whole tradition of the old Bodleian".Later in the year, the manuscript will go back on display in the exhibition Treasured, containing some of the Bodleian's most significant items. You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
