The Herculaneum Papyri

Abstract

This paper surveys the history of the Herculaneum papyri, as well as past, current and future research on the collection. Buried under the ashes of Vesuvius in the eruption of AD 79, the so-called Villa dei Papiri in Herculaneum contains the only library to survive intact from the Greco-Roman world. Soon after its discovery in 1752, it was identified as consisting mainly of works on Epicurean philosophy, especially by Philodemus of Gadara (ca. 110–35 BC). The charcoaled papyrus scrolls, inscribed with charcoal-based ink, present scholars with unique practical challenges. Early attempts to unroll them and read their contents yielded promising results but often resulted in serious damage to the material. Modern imaging techniques have significantly increased the legibility of extant fragments, and with the help of  computerised tomography and machine learning it becomes increasingly possible to distinguish writing from background material in still rolled-up papyri. The Holy Grail of Herculaneum papyrology, namely to unroll and read the scrolls virtually, seems no longer out of grasp.