Vesuvius Challenge

The Vesuvius Challenge is a competition aimed at using machine learning and computer vision to read the carbonized Herculaneum scrolls that were buried during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. The initiative has awarded over $1.8 million in prizes to participants and achieved significant milestones, including virtually unwrapping and reading an entire scroll, PHerc. 1667. Key challenges in this quest include developing methods for accurate surface representation, geometric reconstruction, and ink detection. As of 2023, significant progress has been made, with the first team having recovered passages from the Herculaneum scrolls and a broader community effort accelerating the project towards its next stages. The challenge promotes collaboration, knowledge sharing, and aims to make historical texts accessible once more.