A Tragic Discovery in Pompeii
A year ago, archaeologists from the Archaeological Park of Pompeii uncovered the remains of two men in the House of the Chaste Lovers. These men perished during the eruption of Vesuvius, with their skeletons heavily damaged. Researchers suspected that the cause of death was due to collapses in the building caused by underground shocks.
An Interdisciplinary Study
Scientists from the Italian National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) and the Archaeological Park of Pompeii conducted a comprehensive study to determine the circumstances of the tragic event. Their findings were recently published in the journal Frontiers in Earth Science.
The Sequence of Events
Using reconstructions of the eruption based on historical accounts and archaeological data, scientists determined that the men’s deaths occurred during a complex series of events during the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD. The Plinian eruption was followed by pyroclastic flows and a Peléan eruption, which led to the destruction of Pompeii.
The Tragic End
Analysis of the skeletons revealed that one man was crushed by a collapsing wall, while the other tried to shield himself with wooden material found nearby. The injuries observed on the bones suggest that they were caused by collapses during seismic events, highlighting the connection between earthquakes and the eruption of Vesuvius.
