The Future Deciphers the Past: AI and the Promise of Archaeological Discovery

The Bodleian Libraries Herculaneum scroll.

The recent success of AI in virtually unwrapping a 2,000-year-old scroll from Herculaneum has highlighted the incredible potential of technology in historical research. This scroll, charred beyond recognition by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, has long been considered too fragile to examine. However, a combination of X-ray imaging and AI has now allowed researchers to see inside the ancient document for the first time in millennia.

As a student in the conservation of easel paintings, I find it fascinating to see how AI is being used in ways that genuinely benefit historical research, rather than just serving as a source of online speculation and fearmongering. Much of the AI discourse is dominated by concerns about automation, job displacement, and the ethical dilemmas of deep learning. While these concerns are valid, stories like this remind us that AI can also be a powerful tool for preservation, rather than destruction.

The process itself is astonishing. The scroll was placed inside a synchrotron at Diamond Light Source in Oxfordshire, where high-energy X-ray scans produced a 3D reconstruction. AI was then employed to identify layers of papyrus and detect minuscule traces of ink—despite both the writing and the paper being carbon-based and nearly indistinguishable. This would have been impossible using conventional techniques, which previously led to many scrolls being destroyed in well-intentioned but ultimately damaging attempts to open them.

The text appears to be philosophical in nature, possibly linked to Epicurean thought, which emphasizes the pursuit of simple pleasures. This connection to history is particularly striking—ideas recorded thousands of years ago are now resurfacing thanks to the very technology we often fear will overshadow human creativity.

For conservators and researchers, this breakthrough is monumental. It demonstrates that AI, when applied thoughtfully, can unlock knowledge without compromising the integrity of fragile artifacts. As someone deeply invested in material conservation, I can’t help but wonder how these advancements might extend to the preservation of paintings. Could AI one day help analyze layers of paint in a way that conservators cannot yet achieve? Could it assist in reconstructing lost works without invasive interventions?

It is refreshing to see AI framed as a tool of discovery rather than destruction. While skepticism is necessary, so is curiosity—especially when technology enables us to access fragments of the past we once thought were lost forever.

The Vesuvius Challenge team is now working to refine their methods, hoping to fully reveal the scroll’s contents. Their success could reshape how we approach archaeological materials, shifting the focus from risky physical handling to digital preservation. AI is often seen as a threat to the arts and humanities, but in cases like this, it proves itself to be a collaborator rather than a competitor.