Pompeii: Digs And DNA

With crumbling ancient temples and open brick-built theatres, the weather-worn Italian city of Pompei is steeped in history. Most notable of all, the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D. buried the city in 4-6 metres of volcanic ash and pumice, preserving it under the ash for years to come. This unique site provides an insight into Roman life, frozen from the moment it was encumbered in ash.

The Eruption

The city itself was built on a coastal lava plateau which was created by Mount Vesuvius’ earlier eruptions. In 79 A.D., it erupted again only to drown Pompeii and its 10,000 residents in a blanket of deadly ash and rock. The black ash was so thick it obscured the sun, and ash continued to reign down, reaching up to nine feet in some places. Pompeii was lost. The once busy and bustling Roman city had been reduced to ashes, and it was much forgotten until 1748 when it was rediscovered. With excavations still continuing today, this disaster-struck city now provides a window into Roman life, architecture and culture – an invaluable archaeological goldmine.

New Discoveries

With a third of the city still to be cleared of volcanic debris, new and exciting discoveries are still taking place. The current excavation has uncovered a ‘black room’, as presented by the park director, Dr Gabriel Zuchtriegel. With floor to ceiling black walls, and a white mosaic floor, the banqueting hall is decorated with beautiful artworks depicting the likes of Helen of Troy and the god Apollo, who is trying to seduce the priestess Cassandra.

Another notable discovery, which has been somewhat mysterious, includes that of a laundry room in one corner of the park. Next door, a bakery and a grand residence (that including the ‘black room’) have been uncovered. Passageways and plumbing connect these areas, while the initials ‘ARV’ appear on the walls and bakery’s millstones.
Dr Sophie Hay identifies this person as Aulus Rustius Verus, who was a wealthy politician. The properties were also believed to be undergoing renovation, which sadly was never to be completed due to the eruption. Workers left stacked roof tiles, tools and materials in their attempts to escape.

DNA Discovery

As well as the mysteries of Pompeii’s infrastructure, researchers focusing on human remains from Pompeii have extracted the first ‘Pompeian human genome’ from the bones of a man and woman who were buried in the eruption. Their ancient DNA was preserved in their corpses, which had been wrapped in time-hardened ash. The findings showed that one victim shared genetic markers with others who lived in Italy in the Roman Imperial Age, as well as those found in Sardinia, indicating high genetic diversity in the Italian Peninsula.

This is just the start of what can be learnt by such groundbreaking research. Thanks to the ardent commitment of archaeologists, historians and scientists, the world can understand one of the biggest natural disasters in history and have a glimpse into a past we would otherwise never know.

References
Amons, Jonathan, Morelle, Rebecca and Francis, Alison. (2024). Pompei: Breathtaking New Paintings Found at Ancient City: BBC News. Source: Pompeii: Breathtaking new paintings found at ancient city – BBC News
Gill, Victoria. (2022) Ancient DNA Reveals Secrets of Pompei Victims in BBC News: Ancient DNA reveals secrets of Pompeii victims