The ancient Roman city of Pompeii was famously destroyed in AD 79 by the sudden eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Within moments, the town was buried under at least six meters of volcanic ash and pumice, capturing in chilling detail the final moments of thousands of lives. The tragedy resulted in one of the most significant archaeological sites in history, allowing insights into Roman life while also presenting haunting scenes of human suffering. Many of those found at Pompeii were discovered in unusual postures, leading early excavators to speculate on the moment of their deaths. However, recent scientific findings are now reshaping these interpretations, bringing a new understanding of who these individuals were and how they met their fate.
Excavations of Pompeii began in the 1700s, and in the mid-19th century, a new technique was introduced by archaeologist Giuseppe Fiorelli to create plaster casts. Fiorelli’s method involved pouring plaster into the voids left by decomposed bodies in the ash. The resulting casts provided life-sized replicas of the deceased, preserving their poses with heartbreaking accuracy. These early casts became central to the popular fascination with Pompeii because they offered an authentic glimpse into the city’s last moments. However, they were created and exhibited with limited archaeological context, which often led to assumptions based on visual interpretation rather than evidence.
For example, individuals found in apparent embraces were sometimes thought to be family members, while those positioned with children were assumed to be mothers or fathers. For decades, it was also believed that their postures reflected prolonged suffering or attempts to shield themselves from the volcanic debris. However, further studies indicated that the peculiar positions many victims were found in likely resulted from intense heat, which caused muscle contractions at the moment of death. In fact, it is estimated that Pompeii’s inhabitants perished almost instantly in the pyroclastic surges that followed the initial eruption, a revelation that undercuts earlier, more dramatic interpretations of their deaths: these surges released gases and volcanic material at temperatures over 570 F, sufficient to vaporize soft tissues and leave skeletal remains intact within the ash.
While archaeologists have long been fascinated by these plaster casts, the recent application of DNA analysis has offered a new layer of detail. Researchers from institutions including Harvard University and the University of Florence, working under a study published in Current Biology, were able to extract DNA from bone fragments embedded in the casts. This genetic data has provided new insights into the identities, family relationships, and even ancestry of some of the Pompeii victims. Remarkably, the study has not only added to the historical narrative but also challenged longstanding assumptions about specific individuals.
One of the key findings involved the discovery of four individuals in a wealthy residence, commonly referred to as the “House of the Golden Bracelet.” Here, a gold bracelet adorned one adult, and the group, which included two children, was initially believed to be a family—a mother, father, and two children. Archaeologists had speculated that the bracelet-wearing individual was a woman holding a child, likely based on the protective position and the artifact’s association with femininity. However, DNA analysis revealed that this individual was actually male and that none of the four people were related by blood.
Another reinterpretation from this study concerned two casts from the “House of the Cryptoporticus,” where nine bodies were discovered during a 1914 excavation. Two individuals were found in an apparent embrace, leading to the widespread belief that they were sisters or a mother and daughter. Yet, DNA analysis has now shown that at least one of these individuals was male, while the biological sex of the other remains undetermined. This finding challenges the idea that the proximity or position of the bodies necessarily indicates kinship or specific relationships.
But DNA analysis did more than challenge assumptions about gender and relationships, it also showed the diversity within Pompeii’s population. The individuals from the House of the Golden Bracelet, once thought to be a family, exhibited genetic markers common to North Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean, suggesting that they were immigrants or descendants of immigrants from these regions. Such discoveries confirm that Pompeii, like much of the Roman Empire, was a cosmopolitan community shaped by migration and cultural exchange. The evidence of genetic diversity aligns with historical records of the Roman Empire’s vast reach, which facilitated the movement of people across continents for trade, military service, and other purposes.
While these findings provide critical insights, they also draw attention to the challenges faced by ancient DNA research. Preserving genetic material over millennia is rare, especially under conditions like those in Pompeii, where extreme heat and the chemical composition of volcanic ash can degrade DNA. Despite these difficulties, scientists were able to extract either complete or partial genomes from the remains of five individuals, a breakthrough that emphasizes the potential of genetic research to contribute to our understanding of history.
Beyond correcting historical interpretations, the research underlines the importance of combining scientific techniques with traditional archaeology: the stories once told about Pompeii’s plaster casts often relied on visual cues and cultural assumptions, creating narratives that were compatible with public interest but were not always scientifically sound. The new evidence, on the other hand, prompts a reevaluation of such narratives, shifting from simplistic family stories to a broader perspective that considers individual identities within a culturally diverse society.
The enduring fascination with Pompeii lies not only in its preserved architecture and artifacts but also in its portrayal of human vulnerability in the face of natural disasters. Its plaster casts, poignant symbols of the city’s own tragic end, offer insights into the personal and collective stories of the city’s residents. The integration of genetic analysis now deepens our understanding of those stories, revealing a more complex population and debunking some of the myths that have persisted for centuries.
As modern technology continues to advance, the scientific study of Pompeii’s casts is likely to continue and shed light on aspects of ancient life that were previously obscure. All to remind us that the past and history are not static, but rather, they can evolve with each new discovery, providing a more accurate account of who we truly are.
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