Artificial intelligence unravels mysteries of ancient texts

By Estêvão Júnior

A team of scientists from Tel Aviv University in Israel has developed an artificial intelligence tool capable of quickly translating Akkadian texts written by the Babylonians and Assyrians.

The study was published in the journal PNAS Nexus on Monday 2.

The technology, however, still needs to be improved.

It will be used as a support for translators trying to unravel the mysteries of cuneiform texts.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

The Akkadian language is considered to be the oldest language in history.

The process of translating this language is laborious.

Furthermore, there are few people fluent in this ancient language.

Therefore, artificial intelligence will help even people who do not understand the language that much.

Cuneiform writing, used by more than one language in Mesopotamia, used wedge-shaped instruments to engrave symbols in clay.

It was with this method that the first texts were produced.

According to the Jerusalem Post, archaeology has already recovered “hundreds of thousands” of tablets with cuneiform inscriptions.

Now, with artificial intelligence, it is hoped that the texts and mysteries written by ancient peoples can be unraveled more quickly.

With information from Revista Oeste

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