Zoom Image

Skull of one of the two newly discovered earthquake victims

Photo: Italian Ministry of Culture / EPA

Few historical catastrophes are as well known as the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, which devastated the Roman city of Pompeii in 79 AD. Large amounts of ash and pumice, pyroclastic flows and, as is becoming increasingly clear, severe earthquakes caused destruction and deaths. Although a large part of the inhabitants had already left the city at the time of the disaster, archaeologists assume that 15 to 20 percent of the inhabitants died in the inferno.

Excavations have been taking place on the site of the former city for some time. Now ancient skeletons of two other people have been found there. The people had fallen victim to an earthquake at the time, said employees of the archaeological park. Researchers assume that they were two men at the age of about 55 years. They are said to have died after the collapse of the building, which was called the "House of Chaste Lovers" because of its well-known frescoes.

According to this, part of the wall of a room collapsed and killed one person. The entire upper part of another part of the wall came loose and crashed into the room, with the debris crushing and burying the other man. Both skeletons were found lying down – the position of one gives the impression that the man had tried to protect himself with his arm raised shortly before his death.

Getting closer to the victims' last moments

The find shows "how much there is still to discover about the terrible eruption of 79 AD," said Italian Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano. Modern excavation techniques help us to better understand the hell that completely destroyed the city of Pompeii in two days and killed many inhabitants," explained German park director Gabriel Zuchtriegel. The discoveries could bring us closer to the last moments of the victims.

In the former Roman city at the foot of the volcano Vesuvius, archaeologists repeatedly come across spectacular finds. In 79, after several eruptions of Mount Vesuvius, ash, mud and lava covered the ancient city and thus preserved it. It was not until the 18th century that Pompeii was rediscovered. Today, the park is one of the most important attractions in Italy.

chs/dpa