DNA revelations rewrite Pompeii's ancient narratives
Scientists conducted a DNA analysis of the remains of Pompeii residents who died during the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD. The results provided groundbreaking insights into their origins and familial relationships.
The research, published in the journal Current Biology, was led by a team led by Prof. David Caramelli from the University of Florence. Scientists extracted DNA from heavily fragmented skeletal remains in 14 out of 86 famous plaster casts of eruption victims, which are currently undergoing restoration.
Genetic analysis enabled the precise determination of the victims' sex, origin, and genetic relationships. These findings challenge previous assumptions based solely on physical appearance and the positions of the casts. For example, an adult with a gold bracelet on the hand, holding a child, was previously considered a mother with her offspring. However, the study revealed that it was a man, and he and the child had no familial bond.
They [the studies-ed.] highlight the importance of integrating genetic data with archaeological and historical information to avoid misinterpretations based on modern assumptions. This study also underscores the diverse and cosmopolitan nature of Pompeii's population, reflecting broader patterns of mobility and cultural exchange in the Roman Empire. – emphasized Prof. Caramelli.
Additionally, DNA analysis revealed that the residents of Pompeii had roots extending to the eastern regions of the Mediterranean Sea. Alissa Mittnik from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology notes that these findings reflect broad patterns of mobility and cultural exchange in the Roman Empire. - Our findings have significant implications for interpreting archaeological data and understanding ancient societies. They highlight the diversity and cosmopolitan nature of Pompeii's population–pointed out by the researcher.
this might have influenced interpretation
Scientists also suggest that previous scene reconstructions by experts may have influenced the interpretation of relationships between the victims, due to possible changes in the arrangement of the casts.
The combined use of genetic data and other bioarchaeological methods provides us with the chance to better comprehend the lives and habits of the victims of the Vesuvius eruption – notes Prof. Caramelli.
The eruption of Vesuvius occurred in 79 AD. It was one of the most powerful in history, and it killed the residents of Pompeii. Many of them died under collapsed buildings, while others perished in pyroclastic flows. The eruption also destroyed two other Roman towns: Herculaneum and Stabiae.
Vesuvius remains an active volcano. The last eruption of Vesuvius occurred in 1944, and since the destruction of Pompeii, it has erupted 77 times. Geologists indicate that an eruption may occur in the future.
