The remains of a middle-aged woman lying on a bed, surrounded by coins and jewelry, were found in a room in Pompeii.
Scientists discovered two skeletons during excavations at the Regio IX site in the ruins of the ancient city of Pompeii, revealing the final moments of panic of those who died in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. IFL Science The new study was conducted by Gabriel Zuchtriegel, director of the Pompeii archaeological park, and colleagues and published in the electronic journal Excavations of Pompeii.
The remains of the woman, aged between 35 and 45, were found lying on a bed in a fetal position, while the young man – believed to be no more than 20 – was found buried under a collapsed wall. The room where the two victims were found is known as Area 33.
Since the chamber was not invaded by volcanic pumice, the team speculated that the two victims may have entered it to take shelter from the lava rain that fell on Pompeii. However, when the adjacent chamber filled with pumice, they became trapped.
Woman carrying coins and jewelry when she died. Photo: Pompeii Archaeological Park
Several centimetres of ash on the floor suggested that the two victims may have died in a pyroclastic flow – a fast-moving stream of volcanic material and hot gas. The team believes the deadly flow caused the wall to collapse and killed the young man. The middle-aged woman, meanwhile, may have lived a short time. She lay in bed, waiting for death.
Alongside the woman’s remains, archaeologists discovered a set of iron keys, which may be related to a chest located nearby. In addition, she was surrounded by many gold, silver, and bronze coins and jewelry. Among the jewelry was a pair of gold and pearl earrings in the “crotalia” (clinking) style, named after the sound the pearls make when they clink together. There was also an amulet-shaped pendant that was said to provide protection during childbirth. Based on this discovery, the team believes that the woman intended to escape with the treasure, but was ultimately unable to leave Area 33.
The ancient city of Pompeii was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. Much of the city remains covered in ash from the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Experts continue to excavate sites to learn more about the lives of the city’s residents before the disaster.