5000-Year-Old Tablets Can Now Be Decoded by Artificial Intelligence

Nov 28, 2023 ·

Researchers have recently developed a new technique that allows for the decoding of ancient tablets using artificial intelligence (AI). The technology has enabled researchers to uncover meaningful information from tablets that are over 5,000 years old.

The tablets were found in ancient Mesopotamian sites such as Tell Asmar in Iraq and Tell Leilan in Syria. They contain cuneiform texts written in Akkadian by the Babylonians and Sumerians. Before this technology was developed, deciphering these tablets was very difficult due to the complexity of the language, the lack of understanding of the culture and the fact that many of the tablets had been badly damaged over time.

The AI system developed by the researchers is able to identify patterns in the text to make predictions on what word is most likely to appear next. This means that even if part of the text is damaged or incomplete, the AI is still able to accurately fill in the missing words or phrases. Additionally, the AI can also identify words that do not match with the expected context and thereby reveal mistakes or inaccuracies made by the scribes who wrote them.

Using this new technology, researchers have been able to read much more of the tablets than previously thought possible. For example, they have uncovered documents related to trade, politics, literature, agricultural practices and even letters sent between rulers and their subjects.

This newly discovered information provides us with valuable insights into the history and culture of ancient Mesopotamia. It gives us a better understanding of the development of legal systems, religion and economic structures as well as providing greater insight into how people lived and interacted in this period.

Having access to this knowledge helps us to engage more deeply with history and appreciate its relevance to our own lives today. It can also help us to gain a better understanding of how societies function and evolve over time.

Overall, the development of AI-enabled technology for decoding these ancient texts has opened up a whole new world of knowledge about the past. By uncovering what lies hidden beneath these tablets, it helps us to connect more deeply to our distant ancestors and understand our place in the grand narrative of human history.