Remains of ‘man and his slave’ fleeing the eruption of Vesuvius unearthed in Pompeii

The skeletal remains of what is believed to be a wealthy man and his slave fleeing the volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius nearly 2,000 years ago have been discovered in Pompeii, archaeological park officials said.

The partial skeletons were found during the excavation of an elegant villa on the outskirts of the ancient Roman city that was destroyed by the eruption in 79 AD.

It is the same area where a stable was excavated in 2017 with the remains of three harnessed horses.

Pompeii officials said the two men apparently escaped the initial ash fall and then succumbed to a powerful volcanic explosion that took place the next day.

Molds of the complete skeletons were created, taking advantage of the impressions that the shape of the victims made in the hardened ash.

Judging from the cranial bones and skull, one of the victims was a young man, probably between the ages of 18 and 25, with a compressed disc spine.

This finding led archaeologists to hypothesize that the young man performed manual labor, like that of a slave.

The other victim, found nearby, had robust bone structure, especially in the chest area, and was likely in his 30s to 40s, Pompeii officials said.

Both skeletons were found in a hallway, which led to a staircase to the upper level of the villa.

From the impression of the folds of the cloth left in the ash cloak, the young man appeared to be wearing a short, pleated tunic, possibly of wool.

The older victim, in addition to wearing a robe, appeared to have a cloak over his left shoulder.

As excavations continue at the site near Naples, tourists are currently excluded from the archaeological park under national measures against the coronavirus.