Archaeologists in Pompeii unearthed the remains of two more victims of the 79 CE eruption of Mount Vesuvius. The skeletons of a man and woman were found inside a bedroom, where the pair likely became trapped as their home was buried under ash.
Two Skeletons Found in Excavated Pompeii Bedroom
According to a recent news release from the Pompeii Archaeological Park, two skeletons—a man and a woman—are the latest volcanic eruption victims to be unearthed in Pompeii. Archaeologists found the remains in Region IX of Pompeii, where current investigations are focused. Region IX is one of nine neighborhoods that formed the Ancient Roman city. Like other structures recently explored in Pompeii, the victims’ house was partially under construction at the time of its destruction. When the victims died, they were seemingly trapped in a small room that was functioning as a temporary bedroom during renovations. The woman was found lying in a bed, and the man was lying at the foot of the bed.
Remains Provide “Invaluable Anthropological Data”
Archaeologists believe the man and woman became trapped inside the small bedroom shortly after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius began. As falling volcanic debris filled other areas of the house, the victims could not pass through the bedroom door to escape the chaos. Eventually, the unrelenting stream of ash, pumice, and other volcanic debris buried the entire house, suffocating its occupants and preserving its contents. Centuries later, archaeologists were able to analyze impressions of objects in the ash to reconstruct the room’s original layout. They determined the room was furnished with a wooden bed, stool, chest, and marble-topped table. Archaeologists also found a collection of gold, silver, and bronze coins, as well as an assortment of jewelry.
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Sign up to our Free Weekly NewsletterIn a statement translated from Italian, site director Gabriel Zuchtriegel said, “The opportunity to analyze the invaluable anthropological data relating to the two victims found within the archaeological context that marked their tragic end, allows us to recover a considerable amount of information about the daily life of the ancient Pompeiians and the micro-histories of some of them, with precise and timely documentation, confirming the uniqueness of the Vesuvian territory.”
Mount Vesuvius Killed at Least 2,000 Pompeiians
Located on the Gulf of Naples in Italy, Pompeii was a wealthy Ancient Roman city. At the time of its destruction in 79 CE, it had between 10,000 and 20,000 residents. The eruption of Mount Vesuvius killed about 2,000 Pompeiians and an additional 14,000 residents in nearby villages, including Herculaneum. After a 10-mile-high column of deadly volcanic matter burst from Mount Vesuvius, ash and pyroclastic flow fell onto the surrounding landscape for several hours. Pompeii was buried under as much as 20 feet of volcanic debris in some areas. The debris eventually hardened and left ancient Pompeii seemingly frozen in time for centuries.
