Archaeologists have long argued about the exact causes of the deaths of Pompeii residents during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. A new study published in the journal Frontiers in Earth Scienceexamines the impact of earthquakes that occurred immediately before and during the volcanic eruption.
The most interesting finding was the discovery of two skeletons of people who probably died as a result of the collapse of their shelter. The earthquakes weakened the walls of the building, which led to the tragedy.
The eruption of Mount Vesuvius released heat energy equivalent to about 100,000 atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Hot rock fragments, pumice and hot ash covered the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum.
It was previously believed that most of the victims died of asphyxiation due to poisonous gases and ash. However research In 2001, a study estimated the temperature of the pyroclastic flow at 500°C, which could have caused instant death.
Subsequent investigations have found evidence of extreme heating of the victims’ bodies, including bone fragmentation and «cracking and explosions» of skulls. In 2020 found evidence transformation of brain matter into glass due to ultra-high temperatures.
The new study, conducted by volcanologist Domenico Sparice of the Italian National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology and his colleagues, draws attention to seismic activity in the region. Historical sources indicate earthquakes in the decades before the eruption of 79. In particular, the earthquake of 62-63 caused significant damage to the buildings of Pompeii.
Pliny the Younger wrote about seismic tremors a few days before the eruption, as well as strong aftershocks during the disaster itself. He noted that the earthquakes were so intense that «everything seemed not just shaken, but inverted by».
In Insula dei Casti Amanti, named after a fresco depicting two lovers, archaeologists have made an important discovery. They discovered two male skeletons with injuries typical of building collapse. The excavations revealed two adjacent rooms with traces of wall destruction.
Both skeletons belonged to men aged approximately 50 years. Their location indicates that they died suddenly under the rubble of the walls. Scientists assume that these men survived the initial phase of the eruption and found temporary shelter, but died from the collapse of the walls weakened by seismic activity.
«We have proved that seismicity during the eruption played a significant role in the destruction of Pompeii and may have influenced the choice of the Pompeii people who faced certain death», — Domenico Sparice summarized.
We also wrote that three years ago, a research team at the University of Pisa launched a project to Decoding of the Herculaneum Scrolls with the help of new technology «bionic eye». Mount Vesuvius destroyed 1,800 scrolls in Herculaneum during an eruption. These scrolls, discovered in the 18th century, were not readable for a long time due to their poor state of preservation. The new methodology gives hope for revealing ancient secrets.
Source: Arstechnica
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