Everyone knows or has heard of the tragedy that occurred in
Pompeii in 79 A.D. when Mount Vesuvius erupted for two days. The first day the
volcano spewed millions of tons of debris that buried Pompeii in increments of
6 inches per hour. The second day Vesuvius produced super-heated rock, ash, and
gases that flattened buildings and scalded or suffocated people who had not already
been buried the first day. Structures, paintings, mosaics, artifacts, plants,
animals, and people were covered and preserved by the volcanic debris. First century Roman writer Pliny the Younger stated, "You could hear the shrieks of women, the wailing of infants, and the shouting of men; some were calling to their parents, others their children or their wives, trying to recognize them by their voices." It has
been tricky to recover and preserve the organic material that was preserved,
especially the people who were found. Today it is important to preserve the
artifacts and people found in Pompeii because they can tell us about what life
was like in Pompeii so long ago. This is a struggle because casts were made of people
found in Pompeii, but these casts are deteriorating drastically now, mainly
casts that were made 150 years ago.
A major
find in Pompeii was a family of four that was found under a staircase of the
House of the Golden Bracelet. The family was made up of a man, woman, and two children.
Casts were made of this family in the 1970s, but are unfortunately falling
victim to years of decay and deterioration. Stefano Vanacore, director of the
lab in Pompeii states feels that this issue needs to be taken care of now so
that the story of Pompeii’s destruction can be brought to those living now and
to future generations. It is also important because research will always be
executed on the family found and other people and objects that were found for evidence of
how they lived and died, how and what objects were used for, and their local history. Studies on
these people will also help us gain an understanding of their eating habits,
diseases, and causes of death. Studies will also provide information about some
individuals’ lives. Restoring the casts includes cleaning loose debris and the
surfaces, reattaching parts, and scanning them for 3-D images.
Seeing
this preserved ancient family brings about many emotions. Vanticore believes
that the family found in the House of the Golden Bracelet came together in
death, they must have known that the end was coming and made sure they were all
together. It is amazing to see this and it serves a one of the many reasons to
preserve the family. It is also important to remember that they are not simply
artifacts, but are people from a different time that were much like all of us
today.
Source: Lobell, Jarrett A. "Family History: Giving new life to some of Pompeii's dead." Archaeology, Jan./Feb. 2016, 52-55.
Pliny the Younger
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