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The skeletons were found during excavation of a villa in Italy’s Pompeii. Photo: AP

Bodies of rich man and slave scalded to death by volcanic eruption 2,000 years ago unearthed in Italy

  • The skeletons of the two men – a 40-year-old master and his young slave – were found during excavation of a villa in Pompeii
  • Judging by cranial bones and skull, one of the victims was a youth, likely aged 18 to 25
Italy

The skeletal remains of what is believed to have been a rich man and his male slave fleeing the volcanic eruption of Vesuvius nearly 2,000 years ago have been discovered in Pompeii, officials at the archaeological park said on Saturday.

The partial skeletons were found during excavation of an elegant villa on the outskirts of the ancient Roman city that was destroyed by the eruption in 79AD. It’s the same area where a stable with the remains of three harnessed horses was excavated in 2017.

Pompeii officials said the two men apparently escaped the initial fall of ash, then succumbed to a powerful volcanic blast that took place the following day.

“These two victims were perhaps seeking refuge when they were swept away by the pyroclastic current at about 9 in the morning,” said Massimo Osanna, director of the archaeological site. “It is a death by thermal shock, as also demonstrated by their clenched feet and hands.”

Casts were created of the entire skeletons, taking advantage of the impressions the shape of the victims made in the hardened ash.

Judging by cranial bones and skull, one of the victims was a youth. Photo: Reuters

Judging by cranial bones and skull, one of the victims was a youth, likely aged 18 to 25, with a spinal column with compressed discs. That finding led archaeologists to hypothesise that the young man did manual labour, like that of a slave.

The other victim, found nearby, had a robust bone structure, especially in his chest area, and probably was about 30 to 40 years old, the Pompeii officials said.

Both skeletons were found in a corridor, which led to a staircase to the upper level of the villa.

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Based on the impression of fabric folds left in the ash layer, it appeared the younger man was wearing a short, pleated tunic, possibly of wool. The older victim, in addition to wearing a tunic, appeared to have had a mantle over his left shoulder.

In a statement, Italian Culture Minister Dario Franceschini said the find underlined Pompeii’s status as “an incredible place for research and study”.

While excavations continue at the site near Naples, tourists are currently barred from the archaeological park under national anti-COVID-19 measures.

Additional reporting by Reuters

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