X-ray reveals ancient Greek author of charred first century BC Vesuvius scroll

Greek letters on the Herculaneum scroll housed at the Bodleian Libraries in Oxford. Illustration: Vesuvius Challenge

A charred scroll recovered from a Roman villa that was buried under ash when Mount Vesuvius erupted nearly 2,000 years ago has been identified as the influential work of an ancient Greek philosopher.

Researchers discovered the title and author on the Herculaneum scroll after X-raying the carbonised papyrus and virtually unwrapping it on a computer, the first time such crucial details have been gleaned from the approach.