AI Reconstructs 3,000-Year-Old Babylonian Hymn from Clay Fragments

Researchers from LMU Munich and the University of Baghdad have harnessed artificial intelligence to reconstruct a 3,000-year-old Babylonian hymn, piecing together 30 clay fragments excavated over decades. The Hymn of Babylon, last studied in 100 BC, praises the city and its patron god Marduk.

Professor Enrique Jiménez and his team employed natural language processing techniques to match cuneiform signs across fragments, leveraging the Electronic Babylonian Library Platform's 1,402 manuscripts. "AI has become indispensable for reassembling ancient texts," Jiménez noted, highlighting the technology's role in bridging gaps where manual reconstruction WOULD take centuries.

The breakthrough demonstrates AI's expanding utility beyond financial applications—where it powers algorithmic trading and blockchain analytics—into cultural preservation. While no direct cryptocurrency link exists, the project mirrors blockchain's fragment-reassembly capabilities in verifying historical data integrity.