The Herculaneum Scrolls

[jasperr]

I see there has been new progress in unscrolling one of the scrolls that were carbonised following the Vesuvius eruption.

Plenty more to follow ,I hope in the coming years
It was quite an extensive library .

I do wonder if it will cast light on that most vexing question of all and whether they turn up any reference to the world being less than 4,000 years old (the latest scroll was 200 AD ,so we would have to account for that historical time difference)

Some may mock but their comeuppance will be upon them quite surely.

Here is the latest episode in the story as reported by CNN

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/06/26/science/papyrus-scroll-vesuvius-ai-scli-intl

 

[Warden_of_the_Storm]

I do wonder if it will cast light on that most vexing question of all and whether they turn up any reference to the world being less than 4,000 years old (the latest scroll was 200 AD ,so we would have to account for that historical time difference)

I don't imagine that a series of scrolls written in 79AD, none of which would be written in 200 AD because that was WELL after Mount Vesuvius erupted and covered the scrolls, a period when Rome was very much still worshiping the Roman pagan gods, would back up anything for a Young Earth Creation, and if they did talk about a young earth, it would be in the context of Pagan Roman beliefs, not Christian beliefs.

 

[jasperr]

I don't imagine that a series of scrolls written in 79AD, none of which would be written in 200 AD because that was WELL after Mount Vesuvius erupted and covered the scrolls, a period when Rome was very much still worshiping the Roman pagan gods, would back up anything for a Young Earth Creation, and if they did talk about a young earth, it would be in the context of Pagan Roman beliefs, not Christian beliefs.

True ,but this is an amazing advance in recovering literature that ,until recently there seemed no hope of accessing again.

Never mind the age of the Earth then, it could be fascinating to meet the minds of people who were "putting pen to paper" in those far off times

Apparently lines connected to Stoicism have turned up already.

I wonder what else there could be in the remainder of the scrolls and how much is retrievable in time.

Did the article say it may be the largest library from that time extant?
(the Library at Alexandria was destroyed in a fire during an assault on the City)

 

[Warden_of_the_Storm]

True ,but this is an amazing advance in recovering literature that ,until recently there seemed no hope of accessing again.

Never mind the age of the Earth then, it could be fascinating to meet the minds of people who were "putting pen to paper" in those far off times

Apparently lines connected to Stoicism have turned up already.

I wonder what else there could be in the remainder of the scrolls and how much is retrievable in time.

Did the article say it may be the largest library from that time extant?
(the Library at Alexandria was destroyed in a fire during an assault on the City)

The reading of the scrolls and the knowledge that would exist within them will be amazing for sure, but the age of the earth comment was just outright weird, I have to admit.

And 1800 pieces of papyrus scrolls, in various forms of destruction, is a lot sure, but I've not seen anything to say it was the largest extant library at the time. It was the largest known library to have survived from Antiquity but there were larger. Such as the libraries of the Roman Forum in Rome, the Royal Library of Antioch (which was first built in 221 BC and then was destroyed in 331AD), while we don't know the full extent of their collections, were big and important buildings and so would have housed many, many, many scrolls.

 

[essentialsaltes]

If new texts are discovered, it will be a holiday for the classicists, but the effect it will have on our modern understanding of science is going to be nil.

 

[jasperr]

If new texts are discovered, it will be a holiday for the classicists, but the effect it will have on our modern understanding of science is going to be nil.

I suppose so.I wonder might there have been a better subforum to have posted it in?

It is confusing here where only certain subforums are reserved for"non believers"

Is there an archaelogy subforum perhaps?
.....seems not
Maybe "the Lounge"?

 

[essentialsaltes]

I wonder might there have been a better subforum to have posted it in?

I think this was a good choice, given the scientific methods that went into reading the scrolls.

The other choice would likely be Kitchen Sink, which is for anything that doesn't fit anywhere else.

 

[Warden_of_the_Storm]

I suppose so.I wonder might there have been a better subforum to have posted it in?

It is confusing here where only certain subforums are reserved for"non believers"

Is there an archaelogy subforum perhaps?
.....seems not
Maybe "the Lounge"?

The History and Genealogy one is generally well suited for this sort of thread.

 

[jasperr]

The History and Genealogy one is generally well suited for this sort of thread.

Ah,yes.I see it now.