Pompeii couple clung to their wealth as lethal cloud of volcanic ash rained down - with newly-discovered remains of man and woman found surrounded by gold, silver and bronze coins By Francine Wolfisz and Ed Holt Published: 01:49, 13 August 2024 | Updated: 02:16, 13 August 2024 e-mail View comments A couple found in Pompeii desperately clung to their gold coins and jewellery and awaited their fate before meeting a lingering death from a fatal volcanic eruption, archaeologists have revealed. The remains of a young man and an older woman found recently at the historic site almost 2,000 years after the disaster are providing clues to scientists as to who they were. The bodies were found inside a small, makeshift bedroom in a villa that was undergoing reconstruction when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79AD.
Archaeologists believe the house, located at Regio IX, Insula 10 in the city, probably belonged to a politician named Aulus Rustius Verus, who enjoyed a grand living space. The property also boasted a commercial bakery and laundry, suggesting the owners would have had accumulated some wealth. The remains of a young man and an older woman found recently at the historic site of Pompeii almost 2,000 years after the disaster are providing clues to scientists as to who they were The new remains have remained undiscovered for nearly 2,000 years At the point of the eruption, the man and woman found refuge in a small room as they waited for the rain of ash and debris to subside The skeleton.