AI and the Revival of Ancient Texts and Languages

Introduction

• Impact of AI: AI is transforming how we understand ancient history by interpreting long-lost languages and scripts.
• Historic silences broken: Ancient voices from texts thought irretrievably lost are now being heard thanks to advanced technologies.

Key Discoveries and Projects

The Danube Script

• Location & Discovery: Found in Serbia, Bulgaria, and Romania. Known for mysterious symbols carved into ancient artifacts.
• AI Involvement: Revealed structure and syntax; possibly the oldest known writing system, predating hieroglyphs and cuneiform.

Herculanium Scrolls

• Historical Context: Scrolls from a library buried by Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.
• AI Contribution: Deciphered using machine learning; the Vesuvius Challenge spurred advancements.
• Key Finding: Scrolls discuss philosophical themes by Philodemus.

Akkadian Cuneiform

• Challenges: Difficult translation, few experts.
• AI Breakthroughs: AI models have significantly sped up translation efforts, making texts like trade agreements and literary works understandable.

The Dead Sea Scrolls

• Revelations: AI found variations indicating multiple scribes for the Great Isaiah Scroll, altering historical understanding.

Indus Script

• Historical Mystery: Lack of Rosetta Stone or key for translation.
• AI Exploration: Patterns suggest language-like behavior; ongoing efforts to crack the code.

Meroitic Language

• Location: Ancient Sudan.
• Decoding Efforts: AI is being used to detect grammar-like structures; promising advancements despite limited data.

Proto-Elamite Script

• Location: Ancient Iran, one of the world's oldest writing systems.
• AI Advancements: Techniques are emerging to understand numerical systems within the script.

Egyptian Hieroglyphs

• AI Tool: Fabricius, helps decode and teach hieroglyphs using pattern recognition, revolutionizing Egyptological studies.

Rongorongo

• Location: Easter Island.
• AI Role: Machine vision aids in cataloging and understanding potential linguistic traits.

Isthmian Script

• Location: Mesoamerica.
• AI Potential: While direct AI projects are limited, existing models could analyze this enigmatic script.

Oracle Bone Script

• Historical Usage: Used during the Shang Dynasty for divination.
• AI Developments: Systems accurately match ancient symbols to modern equivalents, enhancing understanding.

Linear B and Ugaritic

• Technological Progress: MIT-developed AI models rapidly decipher ancient scripts by comparing them to known languages.

Nazca Lines

• Mapping Progress: AI identified over 300 new geoglyphs, greatly expanding our understanding of these ancient symbols.

Inca Khipus

• Cultural Role: More than just accounting tools; potentially phonetic or narrative in nature.
• AI Insights: Statistical models are identifying complex structures suggesting deeper meanings.

Palimpsests

• AI Techniques: Used to uncover hidden layers of overwritten texts, drastically changing historical narratives.

Nushu

• Cultural Significance: Unique script developed by women in China.
• AI Project: Nushu Rescue uses AI to preserve and translate this endangered script.

Voynich Manuscript

• Mystery: An undeciphered book with unique language and imagery.
• AI Attempts: Various theories explored using AI, but no definitive translation achieved.

Mayan Glyphs

• AI Contributions: AI rapidly identifies and classifies glyphs, aiding in the understanding of Mayan history and culture.

Cypro-Minoan Script

• Potential Breakthroughs: AI studies hint at unified linguistic structure, suggesting a single language origin.

Etruscan Language

• Challenge: Language isolate with no clear relatives.
• AI Insights: Detects patterns in inscriptions, hinting at meanings and grammatical structures.

Conclusion

• AI's Role: Revolutionizing the study of ancient languages and scripts, unlocking historical knowledge previously thought lost.
• Future Potential: With continued AI advancements, even more mysteries of the past await discovery.