[ad_1]
In the southern Italian city of Pompeii, archaeologists have found the remains of two people who died in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius some 2,000 years ago. The human remains were discovered in the area of a villa on the outskirts of the ancient city of Pompeii, the researchers said.
The two men were likely caught in the eruption when they tried to escape. Because the skeletons lay in cavities under solidified volcanic ash, the researchers were able to draw a large number of conclusions about the victims, they reported.
Surprised on the run?
Scientists assume that they are the bodies of a rich old man and a young slave. The clothing and the compressed vertebrae in the child’s skeleton, which indicate heavy physical work, give proof of this. The dead were found in a corridor below the villa in Civita Giulina, where the two men may be hiding.
The slave was probably between 18 and 25 years old, 1.56 meters tall, and wearing a short tunic. Its owner was about 1.62 meters tall and about 40 years old. According to their analyzes, the scientists suspect that he was dressed more elaborately and wore a tunic and a wool coat. Italy’s culture minister, Dario Franceschini, spoke of an “extraordinary discovery.”
Reconstruction with plaster of Paris and laser.
Using a technique in which plaster of paris is poured into the cavities, the researchers were able to reconstruct the original positions of the skeletons and thus recognize that they were lying on their backs. The researchers also used lasers and computer animation.
The ancient city of Pompeii sank to ashes after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD Today it is the second most visited tourist attraction in Italy after the Colosseum in Rome. Almost four million people visited the archaeological site last year. Since most of the city was buried under the ashes, many skeletons and finds are well preserved. Excavations at the village, located about 700 meters northwest of Pompeii, were going on for some time. Horse remains were also discovered there in 2017.
