Pompeii, new skeletons emerge from the Insula dei Casti Amanti

Two skeletons were found during excavations in the Insula dei Casti Amanti in Pompeii. A discovery proving that it wasn’t just the eruption that caused the deaths of the area’s residents, but also an accompanying earthquake. The skeletons were found during the safety construction site, renewal and reprofiling of the excavation fronts of the Insula dei Casti Amanti, which is also planning excavation interventions in some areas. They lay on one side in a rest stop area that was out of service at the time as the house they had taken refuge in while seeking shelter was likely undergoing repairs or renovations.

I The two skeletons found probably belong to two men who are at least 55 years old, Victim of an earthquake that accompanied the eruption, found under the collapse of a wall that took place between the final stages of the sedimentation of the lapilli and before the arrival of the pyroclastic flows that finally buried Pompeii. The newly found remains are the increasingly clear testimony that during the eruption, not only the collapses linked to the accumulation of lapilli or the effects of the pyroclastic flows were the only threats to the lives of the inhabitants of ancient Pompeii, such as the excavations increasingly examined in recent decades.

The eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79 began on the morning of an autumn day, but the so-called “Plinian” phase did not begin until 1 p.m., when an eruption column several tens of kilometers high formed, from which pumice fell. This phase is followed by a series of pyroclastic flows that sediment ash and lapilli deposits. The volcanic phenomena killed everyone who had still sought refuge in the ancient city of Pompeii, south of modern-day Naples, and claimed at least 15-20% of the population, according to archaeologists’ estimates. Among the causes of death, collapse of buildings proved to be a deadly threat, in some cases due to earthquakes that accompanied the eruption.

Removal of the cervical vertebrae and skull of one of the two skeletons revealed traces of organic material, most likely a bundle of fabric. Six coins were found inside, in addition to five glass paste elements identifiable as beads in a necklace. Two silver denarii: a republican denarius datable to the mid-2nd century. and another, more recent, denarius relating to the works of Vespasian. The remaining bronze coins (two sesterces, an ace and a quadrant) were also minted during the principality of Vespasian and are therefore more recent.

A number of items were also unearthed in the room where the bodies lay, such as a vertical amphora leaning against the wall in the corner near one of the bodies, and a collection of vases, bowls and jars hanging on the back wall were stacked. Most impressive is the evidence of damage to two walls, likely due to the earthquakes that accompanied the eruption. Part of the south wall of the room collapsed, hitting one of the men whose raised arm perhaps suggests the tragic image of a futile attempt to protect himself from falling masonry. The condition of the west wall, on the other hand, shows the dramatic power of the earthquakes associated with the eruption: the entire upper part broke loose and fell into space, overpowering and burying the other person.

In the adjoining room is a brick kitchen counter that was temporarily out of use in AD 79: on its surface there is in fact a heap of powdered lime waiting to be used in construction work, suggesting that at the time of the Breakout repairs were close at hand. Along the kitchen wall is a row of Cretan amphorae originally used to carry wine. Above the kitchen counter are traces of a home shrine in the form of a fresco that appears to represent the lares of the house, and a ceramic vessel partially embedded in the wall, which may have served as a container for religious offerings. Also adjacent to the kitchen was a long, narrow room containing a latrine, the contents of which would have spilled into a drainage ditch under the street.

SANGIULIANO – “The discovery of the remains of two Pompeians, which took place in connection with the construction site in the Insula dei Casti Amanti, shows how much remains to be discovered regarding the terrible eruption of 79 AD and confirms the possibility of scientific Investigations and excavations – explains the Minister of Culture Gennaro Sangiuliano – Pompeii is a vast archaeological laboratory that has regained strength in recent years, bringing the world to light with the continuous discoveries and demonstrating Italian excellence in the field. ”

CASTERS– “Modern excavation techniques help us to better understand the hell that completely destroyed the city of Pompeii in two days, killing many inhabitants: children, women and men. With analyzes and methods, we can get closer to the last moments of the lost “her life,” says the director of the Pompeii Archaeological Park, Gabriel Breeding bar.

“In one of the discussions at the site, while the two skeletons were being recovered, one of the archaeologists, pointing to the victims we were excavating, said a phrase that stuck in my mind and that perhaps sums up the history of Pompeii, when he declared, “We are.” Indeed, in Pompeii, the advancement of technology never allows us to forget the human dimension of the tragedy, but rather makes us see it more clearly,” concludes breeding bar.