The latest artifacts discovered in the ancient city of Pompeii detail the final moments of a man and woman before the city was destroyed by Mount Vesuvius.
According to a press release issued by the Pompeii Archaeological Park on Monday, the skeletal remains of a man and a woman were discovered during excavations in Area 9 of Pompeii, Insula 10.
“We know the woman was between 35 and 45 years old and the man was younger, between 15 and 20 years old,” park archaeologist Sophie Hay told Fox News Digital in an email. “We do not know their relationship or social status.”
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The woman had several valuables in her possession which further tell the tragic story of her final moments.
Recent discoveries in Pompeii included two skeletons of a man and a woman who had sought refuge in a small room from the devastating eruption of Mount Vesuvius. (Pompeii Archaeological Park)
“The woman was in possession of a purse and possibly a small box filled with valuables including gold coins, silver coins, copper coins, small carved jewelry, several pendants and gold and pearl earrings,” Hayes told Fox News Digital.
“We know these items had monetary value, but we will never know what sentimental value they held to her, or even whether they were her property. These items must have symbolized something that she thought was important to take away in a moment of confusion and fear, whether it was because of their monetary value or, particularly in the case of jewelry, personal possessions that were meaningful to her.”
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The two took refuge in a small room, where they became trapped.
“As with each and every victim of the eruption, their deaths tell us a micro-story of the final moments of their lives. The true nature of this discovery – a man and woman trapped in a room during a violent volcanic eruption – may offer us a glimpse into just how horrific the moments before their deaths were,” Hayes told Fox News Digital.
The two skeletons were found in a room furnished with a wooden bed, a chair, a chest of drawers and a marble-topped table. (Pompeii Archaeological Park)
“The most important thing we learned in this case is that they died during different phases of the eruption – they protected themselves from the pumice that fell over 18 hours. The man was trapped in a corner of the room as the walls collapsed around him during the early stages of the pyroclastic flow, while the woman, who fell halfway onto her wooden bed in the room, died some time later in another wave of pyroclastic flow,” Hayes said. “Instead of fleeing, these people decided to seek refuge inside their home, and the room where they sought safety became their grave.”
According to History.com, Mount Vesuvius erupted in A.D. 79, killing about 2,000 people who lived in Pompeii, and the city was buried under ash until it was rediscovered by explorers in 1748.
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The volcanic ash that covered the ancient city has preserved much of it and allowed new discoveries to be made.
This recent discovery sheds further light on the tragedy that occurred at Pompeii nearly 2,000 years ago. (Pompeii Archaeological Park)
Since its rediscovery, the site has been visited by millions of tourists each year and has become an excavation site where archaeologists unearth historical finds that tell more of the story of life in the ancient city.
It was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.
Other recently discovered ruins in Pompeii include a prison bakery that held slave laborers and donkeys, and a banqueting hall filled with artwork depicting mythological characters inspired by the Trojan War.
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The bodies of the man and woman were found on the south side of a Roman temple that was unearthed in June, along with a room whose walls were covered in an unusual blue paint.
