Technology used to read burned Roman scrolls

[Brian G Turner]

A new technique called X-ray phase-contrast tomography is being used to read scrolls charred to a crisp by Vesuvius: 2,000 years later, scientists finally know what's in these charred Roman scrolls - CNN.com

The article states that there are a few hundred burned scrolls that could be potentially analysed - and considering how many ancient writings are lost to us, this could potentially be quite exciting.

 

[BAYLOR]

The Herculaneum Scrolls. An entire library of Charred scrolls. Im hoping they find more Emperor Claudius books especially his history of the Etruscans and the language key. Both were lost long ago.

 

[Montero]

Cool.
I remember seeing on an archaeological documentary about how fire can occasionally be helpful - soft clay tablets that were intended as ephemeral records of household supplies, were "kiln fired" by a house fire and survived several thousand years instead of turning back to mud.

 

[J-Sun]

The content from two of the scrolls -- written by the ancient philosopher Philodemus on the subject of political rhetoric -- is currently being translated from ancient Greek into English and will soon be published in a scientific journal.

There are hundreds of Herculaneum scrolls...

Oh my...

 

[BAYLOR]

Were Philodemus works lost to history ?

 

[J Riff]

It will be ads for lava-proof umbrellas.

 

[Alex The G and T]

....fad diets and Male Enhancement.