Pompeii’s unique preservation of the tragic tableaux of its citizens’ final moments has provided archaeologists with a way to understand what life was like during the Roman Empire. Located about 14 miles (22.5 kilometers) southeast of Naples in what ...

A collaboration of scientists extracted DNA from the famed plaster casts of Pompeii, revealing new insights about the victims of Mount Vesuvius’ infamous eruption in 79 AD.

Researchers have studied the DNA preserved in the skeletal remains of Pompeii volcanic eruption victims. In 79 CE, the violent eruption of the Somma-Vesuvius volcanic system engulfed the Roman town of Pompeii. This massive eruption trapped its inhabitants beneath a thick layer of volcanic ash, and led to the preservation of many bodies.

DNA analysis at Pompeii did more than challenge assumptions about family ties; it also revealed the diverse ancestry of Pompeii’s residents.

Genetic analysis of five individuals preserved as plaster casts in the ruins of Pompeii contradicts established beliefs about the people and their relationships

This new study probed the DNA evidence that has been taken from some of these bodies. The team used the same strontium isotopes that were used to date the DNA samples to get a better understanding of the diversity and origins of Pompeii’s residents.

But new DNA evidence suggests things were not as they seem — and these prevailing interpretations come from looking at the ancient world through modern eyes. “We were able to disprove or challenge some of the previous narratives built upon how these individuals were kind of found in relation to each other,