PHerc. 172 is an exciting new scroll dataset from the Herculaneum scrolls, with a unique past and promising future. The scroll, buried by Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, was later given to George IV of England, allegedly in exchange for kangaroos. The scroll is currently housed at the Bodleian Library, where recent scanning has revealed clear ink contrast never seen before in a Herculaneum scroll. Using advanced imaging techniques, researchers are on the brink of recovering complete words and are seeking help from the community to decipher the ancient text. The dataset is now available for exploration, offering a fascinating glimpse into history.
https://scrollprize.substack.com/p/first-letters-found-in-new-scroll