The bodies of two ancient Pompeians overwhelmed by the fury of the eruption of 79 AD have re-emerged from the ashes thanks to the plaster cast technique. The discovery took place these days during the excavation activity in Civita Giuliana, 700 meters northwest of Pompeii, in the area of the large suburban villa where the remains of three caparisoned horses were already found in 2017. In Pompeii thus revives the ancient technique of making casts conceived in the nineteenth century by Giuseppe Fiorelli, which involves the introduction of a flow of liquid plaster into the cavities left by the bodies of the inhabitants of the ancient Roman city inside the volcanic material. In the month of November, despite the closure of the Park, the excavation investigations continued, bringing to light the remains of two men, most likely a wealthy Pompeian and his slave, died in 79 AD during the great eruption of Vesuvius. Thanks to the refinement of the chalcographic technique over the decades, today the image of two fugitives is returned to us with surprising details, from the drapery of the ancient Roman clothes to the veins of the hands.
During the first eruptive phase, when the ancient Roman city was covered by lapilli, the first victims were those trapped in the rooms, hit by the collapses caused by the volcanic material deposited up to a height of three metres. Of these people only the skeletons remained. Shortly after, when the city was hit by the pyroclastic flow that filled the spaces not yet invaded by volcanic materials, people died instantly from thermal shock. The bodies remained in the position in which they had been hit by the flow, and the solidified ash material has retained its imprint after decomposition. This is precisely what happened to the two Pompeians who had recently returned to the suburban villa of Sauro Bardato in Civita Giuliana, where an excavation in progress since 2017 has brought to light the remains of a luxurious home which, with a large panoramic terrace, dominated the Gulf of Naples and of Capri.
It is precisely under this terrace, in the cryptoporticus, that the bodies of the two fugitives were found: that of a wealthy man, the master, and, most likely, that of his slave.
The details returned by the casts are impressive. The first victim is, almost certainly, a boy between 18 and 23 years old, 1,56 meters tall. His head is bowed, with the teeth and skull bones still partially visible; he wears a short tunic, no longer than the knee, of which the imprint of the drapery is clearly visible on the lower part of the belly, with rich and thick folds. The traces of fabric suggest that it is a heavy cloth, probably wool fibers. The left arm is slightly bent with the hand, well outlined, resting on the abdomen, while the right rests on the chest. The legs are bare. Near the face there are fragments of white plaster, dragged by the cloud of ash. The presence of a series of vertebral crushes, unusual for the boy's young age, suggests that he could do heavy work: this is why it is thought that he was a slave.
During the making of this first cast, the bones of a foot were discovered, revealing the presence of a second victim. It is in a completely different position than the first one, but attested in other casts in Pompeii. The face is lying on the ground, at a lower level than the body, and the plaster has precisely outlined the chin, lips and nose, while the bones of the skull are partially visible. The arms are folded with the hands on the chest, while the legs are spread apart and with the knees bent. The clothing is more complex than the other man. Under the victim's neck, near the sternum where the fabric creates evident and heavy folds, there are clearly visible fabric imprints attributable to a wool cloak that was stopped on the left shoulder. In correspondence with the upper part of the left arm there is also the imprint of a different fabric, that of a tunic, which would appear to be as long as the pelvic area. Also near this victim's face are fragments of white plaster, in this case probably collapsed from the upper floor. The robustness of the body, especially at the level of the chest, suggests that in this case too it is a man, however older than the first, between 30 and 40 years old and about 1,62 meters tall.
"This extraordinary discovery demonstrates that Pompeii is important in the world not only for the huge number of tourists - declares the Minister for Cultural Heritage and Activities and for Tourism Dario Franceschini - but because it is an incredible place for research, study, training. There are still more than twenty hectares to excavate, a great job for archaeologists of today and of the future".
“A very important excavation that of Civita Giuliana – declares the Director of the Archaeological Park of Pompeii Massimo Osanna – because it was conducted together with the Torre Annunziata Prosecutor's Office to prevent clandestine excavations and which returns touching discoveries. These two victims were perhaps seeking refuge in the cryptoporticus, where instead they are overwhelmed by the pyroclastic current at 9 in the morning. A death from thermal shock, as evidenced by the contracted limbs, feet and hands. A death that for us today is an incredible source of knowledge”.
MiBACT source
