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Researchers at the Archaeological Park of Pompeii, in southern Italy, revealed yesterday that they found two perfectly intact bodies that were petrified in the eruption of the volcano Vesuvius in 79 AD.
The excavations resulted in the discovery of two men, a 40-year-old wrapped in a woolen cloak and his young slave. In both bodies it is possible to see the folds of the clothes. They appear to be asleep on the floor, with their hands still on their chests and their fingers crossed over their tunic.
The discovery occurred a few days ago in the ongoing excavation since early 2020 in the large suburban village of Civita Giuliana, a luxurious property in the north of the city, where in 2017 some remains of three horses were found.
The operation, defined as “incredible” by the Italian Minister of Cultural Property, Dario Franceschini, was fully financed by the Archaeological Park with 1 million euros and was carried out in collaboration with the Torre Annunziata Prosecutor, the promoter Pierpaolo Filippelli and the carabineiros, used to prevent grave robbers.
“An absolutely exceptional discovery, because for the first time in more than 150 years it was possible to make perfectly successful casts of the victims and the things they had with them when they were hit and killed by the boiling fumes of the eruption,” explained Massimo Ossana, director . general of the park.
According to archaeologists, the excavation is still ongoing and could perhaps clarify in the coming months the role of these two men and where they were heading at the time of the tragedy. However, “the first studies indicate that the death must have occurred at dawn on the second day of the eruption, that is, around 9 in the morning of October 25, AD 79, when the second terrible pyroclastic current overthrew the Roman colony. “
The analyzes, which may reinforce the idea of an eruption on October 24 and not August 24, as is believed, were carried out with the same technique developed by Giuseppe Fiorelli in 1863.
The last attempt was made in the 1990s, sadly without much success. This time, the experiment was totally successful.
“The last few weeks have been feverish. We felt the presence of holes in the mantle of pyroclastic material and hence the surprise of the human remains,” added Osanna.
Pompeii is located on the outskirts of Naples and was completely destroyed by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD The site is currently the second most visited tourist attraction in Italy, behind the Colosseum, which is located in Rome.
