Oxford scholars unveil first image of ancient Vesuvius scroll with recoverable text

Two students previously identified the ancient Greek word for "purple" in a charred scroll from the AD79 eruption of Mount Vesuvius, winning a $700,000 prize. Their work used advanced imaging techniques to read previously unreadable texts. Now, Oxford scholars have achieved a "historic breakthrough" by generating the first image of the inside of a different scroll. This scroll, scanned using powerful X-rays, contains more recoverable text than any previously scanned Herculaneum scroll. While little text has been deciphered, the word for "disgust" appears twice, suggesting a philosophical work. Scholars express confidence in reading the entire scroll, marking significant progress in understanding these ancient texts.