The tragic destruction of Pompeii around 2,000 years ago remains one of history’s most catastrophic events. However, recent research is shedding new light on the sequence of events leading up to the disaster.
Unknown Phenomenon
A study published in Frontiers in Earth Science, led by experts from the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology in Naples, describes a previously unknown destructive phenomenon that hit Pompeii before the city was buried by volcanic ash, according to Hotnews.
Historical accounts and archaeological data have long indicated that many Pompeii residents were either asphyxiated or covered by hot ash and pumice up to 18 hours before the volcanic eruption.
This eruption then unleashed a pyroclastic surge with temperatures exceeding 800 degrees Celsius, killing almost everyone who had survived the initial phase of the disaster.
Instant Death
The comprehensive destruction made it difficult for experts to identify additional phases of the 79 AD catastrophe. However, the recent excavation of two human skeletons has radically changed the understanding of the event. Both skeletons were found above the volcanic ash, suggesting that the individuals had survived the initial ash and pumice fall but were not killed by the pyroclastic flow.
The numerous fractures on the skeletons imply an instant death caused by the collapse of a building. This evidence leads Italian specialists to hypothesize that Pompeii was heavily damaged by a powerful earthquake shortly before being covered by a mix of hot gases, ash, and volcanic rocks.
This hypothesis is supported by a paradox noted by archaeologists: while the victims’ remains were well-preserved in the volcanic ash, the buildings themselves were in extremely poor condition. The discovery of these skeletons confirms that a significant earthquake likely occurred simultaneously with the eruption, causing extensive structural damage.
