After nearly two thousand years, scientists have used artificial intelligence for the first time to recreate the appearance of one of the Pompeii residents who died during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE. The reconstruction was based on archaeological research and allows for a better understanding of the dramatic events that unfolded in the final hours of the city’s existence.
Archaeologists from the Pompeii Archaeological Park, in collaboration with the University of Padua, have created a digital portrait of a man approximately 35 years old whose remains were discovered near Porta Stabia, one of the gates leading out of the city. The reconstruction was performed using artificial intelligence and data from excavations and anthropological analyses.
The most remarkable element of the discovery was a terracotta mortar found next to the deceased’s skull. Researchers believe that during his escape, the man raised it above his head, trying to protect himself from the hail of hot rock fragments and pumice thrown by Vesuvius. Unfortunately, the makeshift shield was not enough to save his life.
An oil lamp, a small iron ring, and ten bronze coins were also found with the skeleton. These items help reconstruct the final journey of the Pompeian who attempted to escape the city during the disaster.
The discovery also has historical significance. The reconstruction confirms Pliny the Younger’s account, which described how fleeing inhabitants covered their heads with pillows and other objects to protect themselves from falling debris. The discovered mortar is the first clear archaeological evidence of this method of saving lives.
