Bodies of a man and his slave unearthed from the ashes in Pompeii

The skeletal remains of what is believed to be a wealthy man and his slave trying to escape death from the eruption of Mount Vesuvius nearly 2,000 years ago were discovered in Pompeii, officials from the archaeological park in Italy said on Saturday.

Parts of the skulls and bones of the two men were found during the excavation of the ruins of what was once an elegant villa with a panoramic view of the Mediterranean Sea on the outskirts of the ancient Roman city destroyed by the eruption of the volcano in the 79 AD It is the same area where a stable with the remains of three harnessed horses was excavated in 2017.

Pompeii officials said the men apparently escaped the initial ashfall from Mount Vesuvius and then succumbed to a powerful volcanic explosion that took place the next morning. The latest blast “apparently invaded the area from many points, surrounding and burying the victims in ashes,” Pompeii officials said in a statement.

The remains of the two victims, lying side by side on their backs, were found in a layer of gray ash at least 2 meters deep, they said.

As was done when other remains were discovered at the Pompeii site, archaeologists poured liquid chalk into the cavities, or void, left by the decaying bodies in the ash and pumice that rained down from the volcano near present-day Naples and demolished the upper levels of the villa.

The technique, pioneered in the 19th century, gives the image not only of the shape and position of the dying victims, but also makes the remains “look like statues,” said Massimo Osanna, an archaeologist who is director general of the Center for Archeology. park operated under the jurisdiction of the Italian Ministry of Culture.

Judging from the cranial bones and teeth, one of the men was young, probably between the ages of 18 and 25, with a compressed disc spine. That finding led archaeologists to hypothesize that it was a young man who did manual work, like that of a slave.

The other man had a robust bone structure, especially in the chest area, and died with his hands on his chest and his legs bent and spread apart. He was estimated to be between 30 and 40 years old, Pompeii officials said. Chunks of white paint were found near the man’s face, likely remnants of a collapsed upper wall, authorities said.

Both skeletons were found in a side room along an underground corridor, known in ancient Roman times as the cryptoporticus, that led to the upper level of the villa.

“The victims were probably seeking refuge in the cryptoporticus, in this underground space, where they thought they were better protected,” Osanna said.

Instead, on the morning of October 25, AD 79, a “fiery cloud [of volcanic material] he came to Pompeii and … killed anyone he encountered, “Osanna said.

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.

Mount Vesuvius is still an active volcano. As excavations continue at the site near Naples, tourists are currently banned from the archaeological park under national anti-Covid-19 measures.