A re-evaluation of manner of death at Roman Herculaneum following the AD 79 eruption of Vesuvius

Abstract

Abstract

Molecular signatures written in bone proteins of 79 AD victims from Herculaneum and Pompeii

“…In addition, the alkalinity of groundwater from the Campanian volcanic areas, which originates from the leaching of alkaline-potassium pyroclastic deposits 85 , further supports the evidence of good preservation of organic and mineral matter in the bone 76 , 78 . Therefore, contrary to the assumptions of some authors 86 , the long-term good preservation of organic matter (i.e., collagen and other proteins) in the Herculaneum bones emerges as the result of the chemical-physical burial environment (ash bed deposit) rather than the effect of a not-so-high ash surge temperature. More in general, the extent of preservation of organic molecules in bones from Herculaneum and Pompeii, on the one hand, and Baia Scalandrone, on the other, regardless of whether or not they were exposed to heat, above all reflects the peculiarity of the interactions between the chemical-physical composition and the hydrogeological regime of the volcanic soils in which the bones were buried, characteristics that being different for each of the sites, produced different effects on the organic bone preservation (Fig.…”

High-resolution dietary reconstruction of victims of the 79 CE Vesuvius eruption at Herculaneum by compound-specific isotope analysis

“…Nine had previously been subjected to radiocarbon dating, and all had had a full osteological assessment (table S1). Further samples that previously yielded the highest amounts of collagen ( 1 ) were preferentially selected for analysis. Collagen was extracted and analyzed by elemental analysis IRMS (EA-IRMS) and prepared for GC-C-IRMS following hydrolysis to release AAs.…”

“…In total, 340 individuals have been excavated from the beach and from nine adjacent fornici (stone vaults) that run parallel to the seashore, where they sought shelter ( Fig. 1 ) ( 1 ). This remarkable assemblage of victims of a natural catastrophe not only is of huge public interest but also offers an opportunity to substantially advance our knowledge of Roman society through the application of bioarchaeological approaches.…”

“…Although some selectivity between the few who failed to evacuate the town of ca. 3000 to 4000 inhabitants and the majority who escaped may be expected, males, females, the old, and young are all well represented ( 1 , 2 ). No evidence has emerged as yet of biases toward any particular social class, although we know from other evidence, namely, the so-called Album of Herculaneum, that freedmen and slaves made up a high proportion of the residents of the town ( 3 , 4 ).…”

A conscious rethink: Why is brain tissue commonly preserved in the archaeological record? Commentary on: Petrone P, Pucci P, Niola M, et al. Heat-induced brain vitrification from the Vesuvius eruption in C.E. 79. N Engl J Med 2020;382:383-4. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMc1909867

“…However, we have recently reported on the temperature estimates of human remains from this site (Martyn et al 2020). In our work we utilised the transformative relationship between the crystal structure of bone and heat to determine that the deceased had experienced low temperatures in comparison to cremation funerary practices, in which temperatures can reach over 900°C.…”