Plaster Casts and skeletons
One of the main sources of evidence that provides information about the 79 AD Mt Vesuvius eruption and how ancient Romans lived were the plaster casts and skeletons. The casts of the dead were created by Guiseppe Fiorelli, the incredibly influential excavator of the site at Pompeii. Many skeletons were found at the site, but the skeleton was not as interesting to Fiorelli as the imprint of the body which was shown in the ashes. This was because of the fact that people who were killed by the eruption had ash and pumice settle around their still body. When the rain came down, it washed more ash into the cracks, filling them in. Eventually this hardened, sealing in the bodies. The flesh and clothing decayed over time, leaving only the bones - but every detail of the body remained visible in the ashes. Fiorelli, who was fascinated by this discovery, invented a method of copying these casts by pumping a kind of plaster into the cavity left by the body. This process has since become extremely popular, being used to cast shutters, doors and even tree roots.
One of the most memorable casts made by using this process was discovering during the excavation at the house of Vesonius Primus. It was found to be of a dog, with a collar around it's neck. It had been tethered by a chain at the time of the eruption, in the atrium of the house. The ashes slowly began to fill the room, as they came in through the opening in the roof. The dog, scared and sensing danger, retreated away from the ashes and climbed higher until his chain was taut. He was buried alive while still struggling to get free. Although saddening, this dog has conveyed the fact that ancient Romans had pets, and owned animals in a similar way to how we do today. This dog may have been a guard dog also. There were many murals of guard dogs found at Pompeii, so this is not unlikely. They were an important part of the household, assuring the families living there of safety and protection. Herculaneum was a relatively peaceful place to live, whereas Pompeii was bustling and noisy. It was filled with bars and brothels, and would have possibly been a dangerous place to walk about at night. Most people stayed locked up in their homes once the sun set, and their guard dogs would have been there for extra protection. The Olitorium holds this specific casts today, including several more, including a pig. Other casts were held in the Garden of the Fugitives. It holds the largest number of victims in one place, as thirteen people fought for refuge in a fruit orchard. Nine bodies were found at the House of Mysteries. Here a roof collapsed on them, trapping them inside.
Many of the plaster casts made were assumed to be the bodies of servants, who were made to stay till the last possible moment, making it basically impossible for them to evade their impending fate. These plaster casts also tell the story of the last moments of the victims lives. Many have their hands up around their face, possibly in an attempt to avoid breathing in harmful gas and ash. The plaster casts have preserved these moments, as minor details such as hair, clothing, and facial features were saved. One of the plaster casts is that of a four year old boy, who was found at the House of the Golden Bracelet. He was assumed to be part of a family, because he was found beside an adult male and female, with a younger child on her lap. The boy's clothing is visible, as well as his facial features, which seem to be peaceful.
Another plaster cast was recreated of a women who was clutching a gold and silver statue of Mercury, the god of safe passage. This reinforces their piety and belief in the Gods, and how they thought the eruption was a message from the Gods. Plaster casts were also made of victims outside the outdoor gymnasium. One victim was found with a wooden box held against his chest. This wooden box survived, as it was able to be opened, revealing scalpels, tweezers and more surgical tools. This shows that he was a doctor, and he probably would have taken his medical kit with him to help the injured. This again shows that they didn't expect the eruption to be so fatal, and it also conveys their limited knowledge about volcanoes.
Many skeletons were also found in Pompeii and Herculaneum, which also provided knowledge about social status and also health. In Herculaneum, a women around 30 years old died wearing two gold armbands, a ring and a gold chain. Her bag also contained more gold pieces of jewellery. Although Roman jewellery was rarely inscribed, in one of her armbands (which was shaped like a coiled snake) were the words "DOM(I)NUS ANCILLAE SUAE, "From the master to his slave-girl." This shows the trust held between the master and their slave, as he had probably given her all his gold to look after, which the slave clearly did. If she believed that he wouldn't have come back, she most likely would have ran, but she didn't - which portrays the important bond slaves had with their masters. Information about health was shown in these skeletons - although it is assumed that ancient Romans were shorter than the average population nowadays, scientists who have studied these skeletons tell of the opposite, saying they were taller than the population of modern Naples. Their skeletons also showed that only around half the population lived to the age of 10, but after that the life expectancy was much higher. It was also found out that illness and diseases were quite common. Infectious diseases were found to leave marks and lines in the enamel of teeth, mainly those of children.
SOURCES:
Pompeii, Peter Connolly, New York, Oxford, 2009. Pages 13, 18, 62, 66, 70
http://decodedpast.com/human-remains-pompeii-body-casts/7532
http://www.swide.com/art-culture/pompeii-interesting-history-facts-about-daily-life-in-the-ancient-roman-city/2014/02/21
http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/plaster-citizens-of-pompeii
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/resurrecting-pompeii-109163501/?page=2
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-11952322
One of the most memorable casts made by using this process was discovering during the excavation at the house of Vesonius Primus. It was found to be of a dog, with a collar around it's neck. It had been tethered by a chain at the time of the eruption, in the atrium of the house. The ashes slowly began to fill the room, as they came in through the opening in the roof. The dog, scared and sensing danger, retreated away from the ashes and climbed higher until his chain was taut. He was buried alive while still struggling to get free. Although saddening, this dog has conveyed the fact that ancient Romans had pets, and owned animals in a similar way to how we do today. This dog may have been a guard dog also. There were many murals of guard dogs found at Pompeii, so this is not unlikely. They were an important part of the household, assuring the families living there of safety and protection. Herculaneum was a relatively peaceful place to live, whereas Pompeii was bustling and noisy. It was filled with bars and brothels, and would have possibly been a dangerous place to walk about at night. Most people stayed locked up in their homes once the sun set, and their guard dogs would have been there for extra protection. The Olitorium holds this specific casts today, including several more, including a pig. Other casts were held in the Garden of the Fugitives. It holds the largest number of victims in one place, as thirteen people fought for refuge in a fruit orchard. Nine bodies were found at the House of Mysteries. Here a roof collapsed on them, trapping them inside.
Many of the plaster casts made were assumed to be the bodies of servants, who were made to stay till the last possible moment, making it basically impossible for them to evade their impending fate. These plaster casts also tell the story of the last moments of the victims lives. Many have their hands up around their face, possibly in an attempt to avoid breathing in harmful gas and ash. The plaster casts have preserved these moments, as minor details such as hair, clothing, and facial features were saved. One of the plaster casts is that of a four year old boy, who was found at the House of the Golden Bracelet. He was assumed to be part of a family, because he was found beside an adult male and female, with a younger child on her lap. The boy's clothing is visible, as well as his facial features, which seem to be peaceful.
Another plaster cast was recreated of a women who was clutching a gold and silver statue of Mercury, the god of safe passage. This reinforces their piety and belief in the Gods, and how they thought the eruption was a message from the Gods. Plaster casts were also made of victims outside the outdoor gymnasium. One victim was found with a wooden box held against his chest. This wooden box survived, as it was able to be opened, revealing scalpels, tweezers and more surgical tools. This shows that he was a doctor, and he probably would have taken his medical kit with him to help the injured. This again shows that they didn't expect the eruption to be so fatal, and it also conveys their limited knowledge about volcanoes.
Many skeletons were also found in Pompeii and Herculaneum, which also provided knowledge about social status and also health. In Herculaneum, a women around 30 years old died wearing two gold armbands, a ring and a gold chain. Her bag also contained more gold pieces of jewellery. Although Roman jewellery was rarely inscribed, in one of her armbands (which was shaped like a coiled snake) were the words "DOM(I)NUS ANCILLAE SUAE, "From the master to his slave-girl." This shows the trust held between the master and their slave, as he had probably given her all his gold to look after, which the slave clearly did. If she believed that he wouldn't have come back, she most likely would have ran, but she didn't - which portrays the important bond slaves had with their masters. Information about health was shown in these skeletons - although it is assumed that ancient Romans were shorter than the average population nowadays, scientists who have studied these skeletons tell of the opposite, saying they were taller than the population of modern Naples. Their skeletons also showed that only around half the population lived to the age of 10, but after that the life expectancy was much higher. It was also found out that illness and diseases were quite common. Infectious diseases were found to leave marks and lines in the enamel of teeth, mainly those of children.
SOURCES:
Pompeii, Peter Connolly, New York, Oxford, 2009. Pages 13, 18, 62, 66, 70
http://decodedpast.com/human-remains-pompeii-body-casts/7532
http://www.swide.com/art-culture/pompeii-interesting-history-facts-about-daily-life-in-the-ancient-roman-city/2014/02/21
http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/plaster-citizens-of-pompeii
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/resurrecting-pompeii-109163501/?page=2
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-11952322