In 79 AD, Mount Vesuvius dealt Pompeii a fatal blow. First, the volcano spewed rocks high into the sky, raining them down on the city. After the rock rain subsided, earthquakes shook the village. Finally, torrents of lava, ash, and gases (volcanologists call them pyroclastic flows) effectively ended life there.
new study in The forefront of geoscience To investigate the significance of the earthquake, perhaps the second blow, one of the least understood aspects of Pompeii’s demise, the team examined two skeletons that offer some clues about their context at the site.
Pompeii’s skeleton
Both skeletons belonged to men around 50 years old and showed multiple fractures and other signs of trauma.
The researchers were even more keen to understand why when they found two skeletons with severe fractures and trauma: the position of the skeletons suggested that the first one had been crushed when the wall collapsed, while the second had apparently tried to protect itself with a round wooden object.
Both skeletons likely survived the first stage because they were found on pumice volcanic gravel (a mixture of ash and stone that fell from the sky).
There are several clues, including their location, that suggest these people did not die from inhaling ash or extreme heat, suggesting that they both survived the first stages of the eruption and were then engulfed by the collapsed rock walls caused by the earthquake that preceded the pyroclastic flows.
read more: Scientists Completely Sequence DNA of Pompeii Victims for the First Time
What happened in Pompeii?
Ancient documents suggest that earthquakes were involved in Pompeii’s demise — Pliny the Younger wrote a letter describing the ground shaking around the time of Vesuvius’ eruption — and the new findings support that idea, says lead author Domenico Sparcice, a volcanologist at University College London. INGV – Vesuvian Observatory.
The scientists used historical records, other scientific studies, and new archaeological evidence to piece together a timeline: The volcano showed signs of erupting in the late morning, and then erupted in earnest around 1 p.m.
“People were caught in the eruption while going about their daily activities,” Spareis said.
A kilometre-high column of ash rose above the volcano and inch-wide pumice lapilli rained down on the city for about 18 hours, forcing residents to flee or seek shelter inside, like the couple who took refuge in a room in a wealthy home.
Many of the inhabitants of Pompeii perished under the weight of the volcanic rubble as their roofs collapsed, but some survived until this stage. After the rubble stopped falling, some of the survivors probably thought the worst was over. Then the earthquakes began.
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Volcanic and earthquake destruction of Pompeii
“Some of those who did not leave the shelters may have died as a result of the earthquake collapsing their buildings, which were already weakened by the weight of the pumice pile,” Sparris said. “That was exactly what happened to the two people we rescued.”
All those still surviving in the city were killed by the pyroclastic flow.
“Only those who fled the city at the first ominous signs before the eruption are likely to have survived the catastrophe,” Sparris said.
Sparris says it’s hard to distinguish between volcanic activity and earthquakes — the two events can happen simultaneously or one after the other. By examining the layering of volcanic deposits, the collapse of buildings, and damage to the two remains, scientists believe they’ve reconstructed the seismic activity of that tragic day.
read more: How 5 ancient cities fell victim to volcanic destruction
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Prior to joining Discover Magazine, Paul Smaglik spent more than 20 years as a science journalist specializing in U.S. life sciences policy and global scientist career issues, beginning his career in newspapers before moving to science magazines. His work has appeared in publications such as Science News, Science, Nature, and Scientific American.
