An artificial intelligence would have deciphered it. It is an ancient riddle that is key to finding the remains of the famous philosopher. The possible discovery of Plato’s tomb raises the expectations of researchers.
Italian researchers reviewed some papyri found in Herculaneum (an ancient city in southern Italy). They were rolled up and charred due to the eruption of the Vesuvius Volcano in 79 AD. And they offer precise information about the place where the tomb of this thinker is located.
Discovering words
Graziano Ranocchia is a professor at the University of Pisa. He scanned these documents with the help of artificial intelligence. “We read that Plato was buried in a garden reserved for him in the Academy of Athens. It was near the so-called Museion or sacellum consecrated to the Muses,” he said.
Recent analysis suggests that Plato may have been enslaved in 399 BC after the death of Socrates. “Plato’s sale into slavery was believed to have occurred in 387 BC during his visit to Sicily,” Ranocchia stated.
Years ago, Ranocchia and his team established a laboratory at the Italian National Library in Naples. They had access to the Herculaneum papyri kept there. They captured hundreds of images of the charred document that were then processed with an algorithm. Using AI, they revealed 1,000 words, corresponding to 30 percent of the text. They believe that they will have the papyrus completely analyzed in two years, that is, in 2026.
Other findings
Before, artificial intelligence reveals who painted Madonna della Rosa. It is an Italian Renaissance work by Raphael. It might not have been the work of the famous artist.
Indications were found that another artist, possibly Giulio Romano, a student of Raphael, participated. He may have contributed to the painting, specifically the face of Saint Joseph.
The study offers a new approach to the authorship of the work. But the researchers conclude that art attribution and authentication are complex processes that impact art history and the art market.
It is clear that the contributions of AI and its machine learning will end up revealing every secret. The possible discovery of Plato’s tomb confirms this. What else is hidden under the veil of history?
