University Student Uses AI to Decode 2,000-Year-Old Scroll, Making Historic Discovery
An undergraduate student from the University of Nebraska has made a groundbreaking discovery by utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) to decipher a section of a 2,000-year-old scroll. Luke Farritor, a 21-year-old computer science major, emerged as the winner of the Vesuvius Challenge, a competition aimed at unlocking the secrets of ancient rolled-up papyrus scrolls from the Roman city of Herculaneum.
The scrolls, preserved as carbon due to the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE, are exceptionally delicate and difficult to decipher. However, using his machine-learning algorithm, Farritor managed to identify and read over 10 characters in a small area of a scroll, earning him the First Letters prize of $40,000.
Farritor drew inspiration from the work of another contestant, as well as research conducted by Professor Brent Seales at the University of Kentucky’s EduceLab, as he embarked on this remarkable feat. Displaying his enthusiasm, Farritor described the moment he spotted the letters as sheer amazement, nearly causing him to lose his balance.
The student shared his initial findings with fellow participants and his family, who marveled at the resemblance of the letters to the ancient script. Farritor continued to refine the photo until it closely resembled the image seen today, ultimately becoming the first contestant to submit the required legible letters.
While Farritor earned the grand prize, another participant named Youssef Nader also discovered the same word in the same area and was awarded $10,000. The use of AI to read the fragile Herculaneum scrolls is significant, as attempting to unfurl them would result in their disintegration.
Federica Nicolardi, a papyrologist at the University of Naples, expressed her astonishment at Farritor’s findings, describing the scrolls as crazy with their crumpled and crushed appearance. She believes that with continued advancements, papyrologists will be able to decipher the documents fully and ignite a revolutionary understanding of ancient history and literature.
The implications of Farritor’s breakthrough go beyond this one discovery, as there remain several other unread scrolls. The Vesuvius Challenge hopes to encourage researchers to decode four passages in two scanned scrolls for a chance to win the grand prize of $700,000.
The opportunity to unravel the mysteries of these ancient artifacts that survived the destruction of Pompeii is an extraordinary accomplishment. Luke Farritor’s use of AI to decode the Herculaneum scrolls marks a turning point in studying these valuable historical treasures, paving the way for further insights and advancements in the field.
