AD 79 & Archaeology recap

Somethings coming? Earthquake of AD 62 Regular tremors seem to be occurring. Wells dry up. Animals behave oddly.

The dead 1, 150 bodies recovered from inside the city. 394 bodies from below the pyroclastic surge layer. 650 bodies found in pyroclastic flow surge layer. 100 bodies found outside the city so far.

Briefly describe the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79.

The earth shook. A cloud appeared over mount Vesuvius. Volcanic material fell from the sky. Toxic fumes were released. It went dark in the day time. The column collapsed creating a pyroclastic flow.

The horror Ash cloud blocks out the sun, plunging Pompeii into darkness. Ash and dust choke mouths and sting eyes. Visibility reduced by ash and darkness. Movement reduced by ash in streets. Rising ash blocks doorways and traps people inside. Weight of ash causes roofs and buildings to collapse, crushing people.

Ash, pumice, lapilli, magma rocks

How useful do you think Pliny the Younger is as a source of information about the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79?

Pliny the Younger says: ‘On the 24th of August, about one in the afternoon’ Ash cloud looked like an ‘umbrella pine’. ‘it shot up to a great height in the form of a very tall trunk, which spread itself out at the top into a sort of branches’. ‘the pumice and ash, though light indeed, yet fell in large showers, and threatened destruction’. ‘a deeper darkness prevailed than in the thickest night’. ‘You might hear the shrieks of women, the screams of children, and the shouts of men; some calling for their children’.

How useful do you think Pliny the Younger is as a source of information about the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79? Pliny was an eye witness. He tells us about the cloud and it going dark and the ash/pumice falling from the sky and the earth tremors and how people reacted. He talks about the fires and the fumes and what the sea was like. He gives the approximate timings of events. He did not know about the pyroclastic flow. It could be argued that artefacts found in Pompeii tell us more.

Discovering Pompeii Decurio Pompeiis inscription found. Thought to refer to Pompey the Great First excavations at Pompeii Site identified as Pompeii. Ownership by the King of Naples. All finds belong to him. All excavations by his authority. Visitors allowed only by his permission.

Theatre and Odeon

Giuseppe Fiorelli

Copy Real one safe in National Museum in Naples

Fiorelli’s Plaster cast technique

How did Giuseppe Fiorelli contribute to the excavation of Pompeii?

He invented the Fiorelli process in which archaeologists found a void and poured plaster into it. When it was set they chipped the ash away from the outside to reveal the shape of what had left the cavity. This means that we can see what people were wearing, where they tried to escape to and the positions of their bodies. Also casts of tree roots tell us what grew where and casts of wooden things like shutters tell us what things looked like. Fiorelli also numbered the regions, blocks and buildings. He kept detailed records and banned people from putting artefacts in private collections. If items were removed they were taken to Naples Museum and replicas put in their places. He had roofs built to protect the site and removed piles of debris.

The bodies