To read 2,000-year-old burned scrolls, scientists burn their own

To read 2,000-year-old burned scrolls, scientists burn their own

Douglas Seiler painstakingly sourced papyrus and reed pens from Egypt and traditional lampblack ink from Japan, then paid some high school students to inscribe the papyrus with lines from Star Wars and the Bible and a quote from the '60s sci-fi TV show The Outer Limits.

Scientists May Have Uncovered a ‘Holy Grail’ for Deciphering the Lost Scrolls of Herculaneum—By Burning Modern Papyrus

Researchers today are burning modern papyrus to develop new methods for reconstructing the destroyed Herculaneum scrolls.

Scientists Say Lead in Ink Could Finally Crack Herculaneum's Burnt Scrolls—So They Baked a Fake One as a Test

The Herculaneum scrolls were discovered in the 1700s. It's taken centuries for researchers to read one of them in its entirety.

To help read 2,000-year-old scrolls burned by Vesuvius, Berkeley scientists had students write on modern papyrus, then burned it; leaded ink absorbed up to 25 times more X-rays than charred papyrus

In a remarkable fusion of ancient and modern techniques, scientists have burned contemporary scrolls to unravel the secrets of ancient writings. The innovative use of leaded ink was highlighted through X-ray scans, providing insights into fragile scrolls from Herculaneum. By adapting advanced software, researchers achieved layer separation, paving the way for a more secure recovery of vanished historical texts.

How Can Scientists Read a Scroll Burned 2,000 Years Ago?

A new proof-of-concept study shows how lead in ink could make some Herculaneum scrolls easier to read without opening them.