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Ancient DNA Reveals the Shocking Truth of Pompeii Victims
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Jul 11, 2025
Pompeii, a Roman city near Naples, was destroyed and preserved by the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE. Buried under volcanic ash, it remained hidden for nearly 1,700 years until its rediscovery in the 18th century. Excavations revealed an exceptionally well-preserved snapshot of Roman urban life, earning it UNESCO World Heritage status in 1997. Originally settled by the Osci in the 8th century BCE, Pompeii became a strategic trade hub, influenced by Etruscans, Greeks, and Samnites before becoming a Roman colony in 80 BCE. The city thrived with public baths, theaters, villas, and a population of 11,000–15,000. The eruption encased everything—buildings, artifacts, and victims—in ash, creating haunting plaster casts of the deceased. Modern research, including CT scans and DNA analysis, has reshaped our understanding of Pompeii’s population. Genetic studies reveal a diverse, cosmopolitan society with roots in the eastern Mediterranean, North Africa, and Europe, challenging earlier assumptions about familial relationships. For example: House of the Golden Bracelet: Four victims, long believed to be a family, were unrelated males of varied ancestry. House of the Cryptoporticus: Two embracing individuals were not mother-daughter or sisters, but unrelated males. Villa of the Mysteries: A presumed servant had local Italian origins but mixed genetic ancestry. These findings highlight Pompeii’s role as a multicultural hub and underscore how scientific advancements correct historical interpretations. Ongoing research continues to uncover details about Roman life, migration, and social structures, making Pompeii not just a tragic relic but a dynamic archive of antiquity. References: 1. Ancient DNA challenges prevailing interpretations of the Pompeii plaster casts. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2024.10.007 2. Bioarchaeological and palaeogenomic portrait of two Pompeians that died during the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-10899-1 Pompeii,AncientRome,#AncientHistory,#AncientDNA,#HistoricalMystery,#RomanLife,#WorldHeritage,#Archaeology,#LostCity,#AncientCities
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0:01
Pompei was a Roman town located in
0:04
Campania, Italy about 14 miles southeast
0:07
of Naples. It was catastrophically
0:10
destroyed during the Plinian eruption of
0:12
Mount Vuvius in 79 CE. An event that
0:16
came to be known as the Pompei eruption.
0:19
The eruption began with a violent
0:21
expulsion of pummus and ash covering the
0:24
city in lili, small fragments of
0:27
volcanic rock during the early phase. In
0:30
the later stages, pyrolastic surges and
0:33
flows consisting of hot gas and volcanic
0:36
debris swept through the city, burying
0:39
buildings, streets, and inhabitants
0:41
under several meters of ash and volcanic
0:44
matter. This sudden burial created a
0:46
time capsule that preserved structures,
0:49
fresco, graffiti, mosaics, tools, and
0:53
even the voids left by decomposed human
0:55
bodies, which archaeologists later
0:58
filled with plaster to produce
0:59
hauntingly detailed casts. Pompei
1:02
remained hidden beneath volcanic
1:04
material for nearly 1,700 years. Its
1:09
accidental rediscovery in the late 18th
1:11
century during construction work
1:13
initiated under the Bourban rulers of
1:15
Naples marked a significant milestone in
1:19
the development of modern archaeology.
1:21
Excavations soon revealed an
1:23
extraordinarily detailed glimpse into
1:26
the urban fabric, social life, and
1:29
everyday practices of a typical Roman
1:31
city. As such, Pompei became one of the
1:34
world's best known archaeological sites
1:37
and was designated a UNESCO World
1:39
Heritage site in 1997. The earliest
1:43
stable settlements in the Gulf of
1:44
Naples, dating back to the Iron Age, 8th
1:48
century BC, saw the Asai, a native
1:51
Italic tribe, establishing small
1:54
communities near the estuary of the
1:56
river Sarno on a low hill composed of
1:58
ancient volcanic debris. This area,
2:01
which would later become Pompei, lay
2:04
within the fertile Sarno plane,
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benefiting from rich volcanic soil,
2:08
ideal for agriculture, especially
2:11
vineyards and olive groves. Due to its
2:14
strategic location near key land and
2:16
maritime trade routes, Pompei evolved
2:19
into a critical node for commerce and
2:22
communication.
2:27
It had easy access to the Bay of Naples
2:29
and was situated along important roads
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linking other regional centers. As such,
2:35
it attracted the attention of larger
2:37
Mediterranean powers. The Atruscans,
2:40
Greeks, and Samites each vied for
2:43
control of the settlement in successive
2:45
centuries. The Greeks with colonies in
2:48
nearby Kumi and Nepalis, modern Naples,
2:52
left cultural imprints, including
2:54
architectural and artistic influences.
2:57
The Samites eventually gained control in
2:59
the fifth century B.C.E., fortifying the
3:02
city and expanding its infrastructure.
3:05
In 80 B.CE. After a period of political
3:08
unrest during the Roman social war,
3:11
Pompei was incorporated into the Roman
3:13
Republic as a colony under the name
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Colonia Cornelia Veneria Pompanorum. The
3:19
veteran soldiers of the Roman general
3:20
cull were settled in the city and it
3:23
became firmly embedded within the Roman
3:25
political, economic and cultural sphere.
3:28
Over the next century, Pompei flourished
3:31
as a Roman town, featuring public baths,
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amphitheaters, temples, marketplaces,
3:38
villas, and a thriving urban population
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estimated to be between 11,000 and
3:43
15,000 before the eruption. Pompei's
3:46
layout and structures reflect the
3:49
complex layering of its pre- Roman
3:51
origins and Roman transformation. The
3:54
presence of richly decorated villas such
3:57
as the villa of the mysteries with its
3:59
famous dishian frescos and institutions
4:02
like the forum, the stabian baths and
4:05
the large theater reveal the
4:07
sophistication of urban life and public
4:09
leisure in Roman times. The site also
4:12
yields invaluable information about
4:14
Roman diet, religion, class divisions,
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enslavement, and even political
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campaigning as seen in the graffiti and
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electoral inscriptions preserved on its
4:24
walls. T today, Pompei continues to be a
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focal point for archaeological research,
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conservation efforts, and global
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tourism. Ongoing excavations and digital
4:36
technologies further enhance our
4:39
understanding of Roman urbanism and
4:41
daily life, making Pompei not just a
4:44
monument to disaster, but a vibrant
4:47
window into antiquity. The catastrophic
4:50
eruption of Mount Vuvius in 79 CE
4:54
obliterated the Roman city of Pompei,
4:56
but in doing so, it also remarkably
4:59
preserved it. The layers of pummus and
5:02
ash from the pyrolastic surges encased
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buildings, roads, objects, and most
5:09
poignantly, the remains of many of the
5:11
city's residents. This preservation
5:14
extended not only to physical structures
5:16
but also to a vast array of cultural
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artifacts, fresco, mosaics, jewelry,
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tools, furniture, religious items, and
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even delicate items such as scrolls from
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private libraries and charred loaves of
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bread still in ovens. Such extraordinary
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conservation makes Pompei one of the
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most vivid archaeological windows into
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Roman life. From the moment systematic
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excavations began in 1748,
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archaeologists and historians uncovered
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thousands of artifacts, and hundreds of
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human remains, sometimes isolated, but
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often found in dramatic groupings in
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homes, courtyards, streets, and public
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spaces. These scenes revealed haunting
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final moments. People sheltering in
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homes, fleeing in panic, or clinging to
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one another for comfort. A major
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breakthrough came in the 19th century. A
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new technique for preserving these voids
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left by decayed human tissue was
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discovered. By carefully pouring liquid
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plaster into the cavities formed around
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bones, life-sized casts of the victims
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were created, capturing their poses at
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the moment of death with a startling
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degree of realism. To date, over 1,000
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individual victims have been recovered
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in Pompei, and at least 104 plaster
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casts have been created using this
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method. These casts, often in
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expressions of agony or repose, have
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captured the public imagination for over
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a century.
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However, in the 20th and 21st centuries,
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advances in imaging technologies and
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bioarchchaeology have prompted a
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reassessment of these casts. A major
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restoration project undertaken in 2015
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sought to preserve and study 86 of these
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casts using X-ray and CT scanning to
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peer inside them without causing damage.
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Surprisingly, the scans revealed that
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none of the examined casts contained
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fully intact skeletons. Many have been
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manipulated during or after their
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creation, often reflecting the aesthetic
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preferences of the period. Some casts
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were filled with reinforcing rods or
7:30
wires to stabilize the form. Others had
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bones removed before casting or were
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creatively completed to evoke certain
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emotional narratives. For instance, a
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cast previously interpreted as a
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pregnant woman was shown thanks to
7:45
modern imaging to have a bulge likely
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caused by folded or bunch garments, not
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a distended abdomen. These findings
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underscored how interpretations of the
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dead of Pompei have often been shaped
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not just by archaeological data, but by
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modern sensibilities, restoration
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decisions, and even romanticized
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storytelling. To supplement this visual
8:07
and morphological data, scientists have
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turned to the emerging field of ancient
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DNA analysis. While volcanic heat and
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time had severely degraded organic
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material, bioarchchaeologists and
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geneticists have succeeded in extracting
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DNA from both human and animal remains
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in Pompei. Recent studies have
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demonstrated that it is possible to
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retrieve genetic material even from the
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heavily degraded fragmentaryary bones
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found within some of the casts. In a
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significant study, researchers focused
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on 14 plaster casts undergoing
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restoration, carefully sampling skeletal
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fragments mixed with plaster scientists
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were able to recover genetic data that
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would otherwise be inaccessible. Their
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goal was not only to analyze ancestry,
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but to explore whether assumed
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relationships based on the physical
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proximity or pose of individuals had any
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biological basis.
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Previous assumptions such as family ties
9:07
inferred from groupings could now be
9:09
tested scientifically. In many cases, no
9:13
close biological relationships were
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found between individuals buried
9:16
together. This calls into question
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earlier assumptions based purely on body
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language or context. It also challenges
9:24
long-standing interpretations of who
9:26
these victims were. Families, lovers,
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servants, or strangers caught in the
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same fatal moment. A major breakthrough
9:35
came from one victim discovered in the
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Casadel Fabro, House of the Blacksmith,
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whose genome was successfully sequenced.
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His genetic profile showed that he
9:45
belonged to the imperial Roman gene pool
9:48
sharing ancestry with populations from
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the Lam region which includes Rome.
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Interestingly, his genome showed
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influence from the Eastern Mediterranean
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consistent with what we know of the
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Roman Empire's cosmopolitan nature,
10:02
especially in port cities like Pompei.
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This suggests that Pompei like Rome was
10:08
a multithnic mobile society reflecting
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the trade networks, migrations and
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cultural exchanges of the Roman world.
10:16
However, bioarchchaeological studies of
10:18
the broader Pompeian population show
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evidence of non-metranial traits and
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skeletal markers that may point to
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genetic homogeneity or shared
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environmental influences. This apparent
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paradox between genetic data suggesting
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diversity and osteological data
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suggesting similarity highlights the
10:39
complexity of ancient populations. It's
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possible that Pompei's population
10:44
included both long settled families and
10:48
newcomers from across the empire. To
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further refine these insights,
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scientists are now combining ancient DNA
10:55
analysis with strontium isotope studies,
10:58
which can reveal where individuals spent
11:00
their childhoods based on the geological
11:02
signature in their teeth. Together,
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these methods can help reconstruct
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patterns of migration, social mobility,
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and kinship in one of the most tragic
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yet illuminating archaeological contexts
11:14
of the ancient world.
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In essence, Pompei is no longer just a
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silent city frozen in time. It is
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becoming a genetic archive of human
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lives, offering profound insights into
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the biological, cultural, and social
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dimensions of Roman urban life on the
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eve of disaster. Out of the 14 samples,
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five provided usable genetic data. These
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samples gave either full or partial
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mitochondrial DNA which is passed down
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from the mother and also included parts
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of the nuclear DNA. The quality of the
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DNA showed signs typical of ancient
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remains confirming that it was authentic
11:54
and not from modern contamination. All
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five individuals were identified as male
12:00
using DNA testing. By analyzing the Y
12:03
chromosome inherited from the father,
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the men were found to belong to genetic
12:08
lineages, which lineages first appeared
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in Western Asia thousands of years ago
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and are still common today in Western
12:15
and Central Asia, Southern Europe, and
12:17
North Africa. When researchers compared
12:20
the DNA from these individuals, they
12:22
found no close family relationships
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between them. None were related, even up
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to third cousins. This study shows that
12:30
despite being buried in volcanic ash for
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nearly 2,000 years, it's still possible
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to recover genetic information from the
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Pompei victims. It also reveals that the
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city's residents had genetic roots
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connected to a wide area across the
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Mediterranean and Western Asia,
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reflecting Pompei's role as a diverse
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and well-connected Roman city. The study
12:52
of ancient DNA from Pompei's plaster
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cast individuals reveals a population
12:57
with diverse ancestral roots. Distinct
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from both modern Italians and earlier
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Iron Age groups like the Atruscans.
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Instead of clustering with local Italian
13:07
ancestry, these individuals showed
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closer genetic ties to populations from
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the Eastern Mediterranean, the Levant,
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and North Africa.
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This aligns with findings from Imperial
13:20
Rome, suggesting that Pompei, like the
13:23
broader Roman Empire, was a cosmopolitan
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hub where people from across the
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Mediterranean lived and mingled. The
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genetic makeup of these individuals
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varied, but most carried ancestry linked
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to early farming populations from
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Anatolia, modern Turkey, and the Levant,
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along with significant contributions
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from ancient Iranian farmers. One
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individual stood out with a mix of
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Levventine and bronze age step
13:50
pastoralist ancestry indicating possible
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European influences. Another had almost
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no Anatolian ancestry and instead
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closely matched ancient Levventine
14:00
people suggesting recent migration from
14:03
that region. Further analysis pointed to
14:06
even more specific origins. Some
14:09
individuals aligned best with ancient
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populations from Western or Central
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Turkey, while another closely resembled
14:16
Henistic Egyptians, hinting at North
14:19
African roots. The only previously
14:21
studied Pompei genome, labeled F1R, was
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primarily Levventine with some European
14:28
ancestry. Together, these findings paint
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a picture of Pompei as a vibrant,
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multicultural city where people of
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different ancestries from the Near East,
14:39
North Africa, and Europe lived side by
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side, reflecting the vast connections of
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the Roman world. The genetic analysis of
14:47
the Pompei victims provides insights
14:49
into their family backgrounds and
14:52
physical traits. Only one individual
14:55
labeled as 52 had enough DNA data to
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study their family history. The results
15:01
showed no signs of close inbreeding,
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suggesting that Pompei's population was
15:06
large and diverse rather than a small
15:09
isolated group where people married
15:11
relatives. This aligns with historical
15:13
records describing Pompei as a bustling
15:17
port city with a mix of locals and
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immigrants.
15:21
Some skeletal features shared among
15:24
eruption victims were previously thought
15:26
to indicate a shared genetic background,
15:29
but the genetic diversity found in this
15:31
study suggests these traits may instead
15:34
be due to environmental factors during
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growth. When it comes to physical
15:39
appearance, the DNA hints at likely
15:41
brown eyes for three individuals and
15:44
dark skin and black hair for individual
15:47
52. The study also detected some genetic
15:50
markers linked to disease risks, but due
15:52
to limited data, it's unclear whether
15:55
these actually affected their health.
15:57
The findings also challenged some
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long-held assumptions about the plaster
16:01
cast victims. Over the years,
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archaeologists and the public have
16:06
speculated about their identities,
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relationships, and even social status
16:11
based on their poses and belongings.
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However, without solid scientific
16:15
evidence, many of these interpretations
16:18
were based on guesswork. Now, genetic
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and isotopic data provide a more
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accurate picture, correcting some of the
16:25
myths and revealing a more diverse and
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interconnected population than
16:30
previously imagined. This new evidence
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helps reshape our understanding of who
16:35
these people really were. The house of
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the golden bracelet is a grand Roman
16:39
house in Pompei built on a hillside with
16:42
beautiful views and richly decorated
16:45
walls. Its name comes from a golden
16:48
bracelet weighing over 6 g that was
16:50
found on the arm of one of the victims
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discovered inside. The house was
16:54
designed in a luxurious style combining
16:57
features of a traditional Roman home and
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a countryside villa with rooms spread
17:02
over three levels. In 1974,
17:05
archaeologists found four victims close
17:08
together in this house. Based on their
17:10
positions, ages, and the presence of the
17:13
bracelet, they were long believed to be
17:15
a family. A mother, individual 52, a
17:18
father, individual 50, and two children,
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individuals 51 and 53.
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One child was even found positioned as
17:30
if being held by the adult which
17:32
supported the idea of a mother and
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child. A nearby child, individual 53,
17:38
was assumed to be a young boy because of
17:40
a bulge in the cast. However, modern
17:43
scientific tests tell a different story.
17:45
When researchers analyzed their DNA,
17:48
they found that all four individuals
17:51
were male, including the person
17:53
previously believed to be the mother.
17:55
The idea of a traditional family group,
17:58
a mother, father, and children was not
18:01
supported by the genetic evidence. In
18:04
fact, there was no close genetic
18:06
relationship among any of the
18:07
individuals, at least not up to the
18:10
third degree, which includes cousins,
18:12
uncles, and grandparents. Even though
18:15
they died together and were found close
18:17
to one another, they were not
18:19
biologically related. Also, their
18:21
ancestry was different. DNA analysis
18:25
showed that the individuals had roots in
18:27
various parts of the Eastern
18:28
Mediterranean and North Africa, which
18:31
adds to the evidence that Pompei was a
18:33
diverse city. One of them, individual
18:36
52, the one with the bracelet, likely
18:39
had dark skin and black hair, while the
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two children had brown eyes. The group
18:44
had likely tried to escape the eruption,
18:47
taking shelter near staircase. Sadly,
18:50
the building collapsed as they tried to
18:52
flee. What looked like a family group
18:54
caught in a tragic moment was likely a
18:57
group of unrelated people who happened
18:59
to be in the same house at the wrong
19:01
time. This finding challenges
19:03
long-standing beliefs and shows how
19:06
modern science can reshape what we think
19:08
we know about the past. The house of the
19:11
cryptoorticus is located in a part of
19:13
Pompei known as Insulus 6, Reio. It was
19:18
originally built in the 3rd century
19:20
B.C.E. and is named after a special
19:23
underground hallway called the crypto
19:25
porticus which ran along three sides of
19:28
its beautiful garden. This passageway
19:30
had small openings for light and air.
19:34
The house also had a fancy living room
19:36
called an ekus and four connected rooms
19:39
for bathing, each with different water
19:41
temperatures, cold, warm, and hot. like
19:45
an early Roman spa. The rooms were
19:47
richly decorated with beautiful wall
19:50
paintings, including scenes from Homer's
19:52
Iliad, showing that the house belonged
19:54
to someone wealthy and cultured. During
19:57
excavations in 1914, archaeologists
20:00
found nine people who had died in the
20:03
garden of the house during the eruption
20:05
of Mount Vuvius. They were only able to
20:08
make plaster casts of four of the
20:10
bodies. Two of the casts known as
20:13
individuals 21 and 22 were found lying
20:16
very close together almost as if in an
20:19
embrace. Because of this, some
20:22
archaeologists guess that they might
20:23
have been sisters, a mother and
20:25
daughter, or lovers. A later CT scan
20:28
showed that individual 21 was a teenager
20:31
between 14 and 19 years old, while
20:34
individual 22 was a young adult. At
20:37
first, scientists couldn't tell their
20:39
sex just by looking at the bones. But
20:42
when they examined DNA from individual
20:44
22, they found that this person was
20:46
actually male, which ruled out the idea
20:49
that the two were sisters or a mother
20:51
and daughter. The DNA of individual 22
20:54
showed he had ancestry common in the
20:56
Mediterranean and was likely connected
20:59
to ancient Anatolian, modern-day Turkey
21:01
populations. His maternal ancestry
21:04
traced through mitochondrial DNA pointed
21:07
to roots in the near east or north
21:10
Africa. Individual 21 also had DNA
21:14
recovered from a mother's side and the
21:16
two did not share the same eternal line,
21:18
meaning they were not mother and child,
21:20
at least on the mother's side. In short,
21:23
although they died close together and
21:25
were once thought to be family, modern
21:28
science shows they were not closely
21:30
related and both might have come from
21:32
different parts of the Mediterranean
21:33
world, adding to the picture of Pompei
21:36
as a diverse and multicultural city. The
21:38
Villa of the Mysteries is a large Roman
21:41
house just outside the ancient city
21:43
walls of Pompei near where the sea used
21:46
to be.
21:49
It was first dug up in the early 1900s,
21:52
and even today, researchers are still
21:54
studying and preserving it. Amazingly,
21:57
many of its walls, ceilings, and
22:00
paintings survive the volcanic eruption
22:02
in very good condition. The villa got
22:05
its name from a room decorated with
22:07
beautiful wall paintings called frescos
22:10
that show a mysterious ritual likely
22:13
related to Bakis, the Roman god of wine
22:16
and celebration. These paintings date
22:18
back to the 1st century B.C.E. and are
22:20
some of the most famous in Pompei. Like
22:23
many rich Roman homes, this villa had a
22:26
lot of rooms and even included areas for
22:29
producing wine and oil. A wine press was
22:32
found inside, proving the family made
22:34
their own products. During the eruption
22:36
of Mount Vuvius, several people died at
22:39
this villa. In the first phase of the
22:42
eruption, two adults believed to be
22:44
women and a child were caught in falling
22:47
debris on the upper floor of the
22:48
farmhouse section. Later, six more
22:51
people died in the second wave of ash
22:53
that followed. One of them was
22:55
individual 25 who was found alone in a
22:58
room lying on a layer of ash. This
23:01
person had some personal items with him,
23:03
a ring with a carved gem, five bronze
23:05
coins, and a whip. These details led
23:08
archaeologists to believe that he may
23:10
have been a servant or caretaker of the
23:12
villa who stayed behind during the
23:15
disaster. His plaster cast is one of the
23:18
most detailed, showing parts of his
23:20
clothing and body features clearly. He
23:23
was tall, about 1.85 m, slim, and had a
23:27
curved nose.
23:29
Earlier guesses about this individual's
23:31
life were based on these items and his
23:34
pose. But when scientists studied his
23:36
DNA, they confirmed he was male and had
23:39
a mixed ancestry, possibly linked to
23:42
both Eastern Mediterranean and European
23:44
regions. To learn more about where this
23:47
man might have grown up, researchers
23:50
also analyzed his teeth and bones for
23:52
chemical clues. The results showed that
23:55
the stranchium and oxygen in his body
23:57
matched the environment around Pompei
24:00
and the central Italian coast, which
24:02
suggests he likely lived in or near
24:04
Pompei for most of his life. This
24:07
finding adds to the bigger picture that
24:09
Pompei was a diverse and connected place
24:12
where people of different backgrounds
24:14
lived together. The study also points
24:16
out how some old ideas like assuming
24:19
people wearing jewelry were women or
24:21
that people found together must be
24:23
related are often wrong. For example, in
24:26
another house nearby, the house of the
24:28
golden bracelet, for people were long
24:30
believed to be a family, a mother,
24:33
father, and two children. But DNA
24:36
analysis proved they were not related at
24:39
all. In fact, some people thought to be
24:41
women were actually men based on their
24:44
DNA. These discoveries show that we need
24:47
to be careful when we tell stories about
24:49
the past. Sometimes archaeologists or
24:52
museum workers change the position of
24:54
the plaster cast to fit a certain story
24:57
which might not have been accurate. But
24:59
now with modern science like genetics
25:01
and chemistry, we can get a more
25:03
truthful and respectful understanding of
25:06
the people who lived and died in Pompei.
25:16
[Music]