Friday, June 1, 2018

POMPEII: Skeleton of Man found, killed by erupting Mount Vesuvius 2000 years ago



ARCHAEOLOGISTS* have found the 2000-year-old skeleton of a man who was killed by an enormous rock at Pompeii, southern Italy, as he tried to flee the erupting volcano Mount Vesuvius.

They believe the 35-year-old man survived the first big explosion from Mount Vesuvius but was killed by a blast of hot ash lava and gas and was struck by a massive rock thrown down from the mountain. The archaeologists can see that the man had suffered from an infection in his tibia, or shin bone, which would have made running difficult or impossible.

The archaeological site’s director, Massimo Osanna, called it “an exceptional* find” that contributes to a better “picture of the history and civilisation* of the age”.

Photos of the skeleton show it partly beneath a 300kg block of stone believed to be the upright part of a doorway, which may have fallen on him after he died.

Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79AD, killing thousands of people and covering the ancient* Roman town of Pompeii and surrounds in 4-6m of ash and volcanic rock. More than 1500 bodies have been found so far, but no one knows how many people died.

Pompeii was forgotten for 1500 years after the eruption. It was rediscovered in 1599 and again in 1748. The city is so well preserved because of the lack of air and moisture under the volcanic rock, allowing an amazing insight* into life in an ancient Roman city.

The discovery of the man’s skeleton follows several important finds in past weeks.

The body was found close to an alleyway of balconies unearthed* earlier this month that experts plan to restore* for public tours.

Archaeologists also dug up an ancient horse outside the Pompeii city walls, which they were able to cast to recreate* its body by putting liquid plaster into the gaps left behind when it decomposed* after it was covered in volcanic ash.

The same technique has been used to recreate the final poses of many of Pompeii’s victims.




source: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/kids-news/skeleton-found-at-pompeii-of-man-killed-by-erupting-mt-vesuvius-2000-years-ago/news-story/0c9b060c6cd8b92e6d7fb7050620ac80

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