Digital imaging technology has enabled the virtual unwrapping and reading of a sealed Herculaneum papyrus scroll from 79 AD without physical contact.

We read an entire scroll — without ever opening it PHerc. 1667, sealed since the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD, has been virtually unwrapped and read from beginning to end. https://scrollprize.org/firstscroll More information about the Herculaneum Papyrus Scrolls project: https://www2.cs.uky.edu/dri/herculaneum-papyrus-scrolls/ #books #literature #old_Manuscripts

Vesuvius Challenge: "We read an entire scroll — without ever opening it PHerc. 1667, sealed since the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD, has been virtually unwrapped and read from beginning to end." June 25th, 2026 https://scrollprize.org/firstscroll