New genetic research has revealed surprising insights into the lives and origins of the ancient residents of Pompeii, upending traditional views of their relationships and social roles, and where they originated. For example, in the cast above, the figures which were assumed to be a mother and child playing turn out to both be male, and unrelated. Conducted by the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Harvard University, and the University of Florence, this study examined DNA from plaster-cast victims of Mount Vesuvius’s devastating 79 AD eruption.
The findings reveal Pompeii as a culturally diverse city, with a population rooted in varied Mediterranean ancestry. Published in Current Biology , this work upends assumptions about familial structures, social roles, and the diversity of one of the most iconic cities of the ancient world. Mummified Remains Of A Former Slave Discovered At Pompeii Syn-eruptive Seismic Destruction Increased Pompeii Death Toll Unveiling Pompeii’s Genetic Diversity For over a century, plaster casts created from the voids left by decomposed bodies have revealed Pompeii’s residents in haunting detail.
Incredibly, researchers have recently extracted DNA from 14 of the 86 casts currently being restored, enabling them to determine genetic relationships, gender, and ancestry. This new DNA evidence paints a picture of Pompeii as a cosmopolitan city where diverse ethnic backgrounds coexisted, perhaps not a surprise considering the extensive.
