University of Kentucky computer experts are entering the crucial stage of their quest to unlock the secrets of two Roman scrolls buried in a volcanic eruption almost 2,000 years ago.

The UK team, led by computer scientist Brent Seales, spent July in Paris, France, arduously making CT scans of the scrolls, which survived the famous 79 A.D. eruption of Italy’s Mount Vesuvius. The delicate papyrus scrolls haven’t been read or even unrolled since the eruption.

Seales’ group recently returned to Lexington, bringing back two terabytes of stored computer data generated from the scans. Next, they must subject all that data to sophisticated computer processing at UK’s Center for Visualization and Virtual Environments, aimed at producing 3-D images of the scrolls. The researchers hope that ultimately will allow them to digitally “unroll” the scrolls, and see what’s written on them.

For more information, visit the Lexington Herald-Leader.

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