# Vesuvius Challenge

> Vesuvius Challenge is a machine learning, computer vision, and geometry competition reading the carbonized Herculaneum scrolls — ~1,800 papyrus rolls buried and carbonized by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. Using high-resolution X-ray CT scanning, "virtual unwrapping," and AI ink detection, the project recovers text without physically opening the fragile scrolls. In 2023 a $700,000 Grand Prize was awarded for reading the first passages; by 2025 ~70% of scroll PHerc. 172 had been digitally unwrapped. Over $1,800,500 in prizes has been awarded. Founded by Nat Friedman and Daniel Gross with Prof. Brent Seales (EduceLab, University of Kentucky).

## Start here
- [Get Started](https://scrollprize.org/get_started): how to join and make your first contribution
- [Virtual Unwrapping](https://scrollprize.org/unwrapping): the X-ray CT → segmentation → ink-detection pipeline
- [History: the Herculaneum scrolls & Villa of the Papyri](https://scrollprize.org/background)
- [Master Plan](https://scrollprize.org/master_plan): roadmap to reading entire scrolls

## Open problems & methods
- [Ink Detection](https://scrollprize.org/ink_detection)
- [Segmentation](https://scrollprize.org/segmentation)
- [Representation](https://scrollprize.org/open_problem_rep)

## Prizes
- [Open Prizes](https://scrollprize.org/prizes)
- [2023 Grand Prize — "we can read the scrolls"](https://scrollprize.org/grandprize)
- [First Letters Prize](https://scrollprize.org/firstletters)

## Data (open)
- [Data overview](https://scrollprize.org/data)
- [Datasets](https://scrollprize.org/data_datasets) | [Segments](https://scrollprize.org/data_segments) | [Fragments](https://scrollprize.org/data_fragments)

## Tutorials
- [Tutorials index](https://scrollprize.org/tutorial)

## Results & community
- [Winners](https://scrollprize.org/winners)
- [Community Projects](https://scrollprize.org/community_projects)
- [FAQ](https://scrollprize.org/faq)

## Updates
- Announcements blog: https://scrollprize.substack.com