New Study Reveals Addition Reasons for Pompeii’s Rapid Destruction

Earthquakes played a significant part in the devastation of Pompeii caused by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D., according to archaeologists.

Frontiers in Earth Science reported the study’s findings, which suggest that earthquakes may have been a significant factor in the destruction of the Roman settlement and the deaths of its residents. The findings were based on an unusual pair of bones and the identification of “peculiar” building collapses.

Pumice flows, and the buildup of volcanic debris on the city’s structures are two examples of the ways in which volcanic occurrences are thought to have contributed to Pompeii’s demise. However, seismic activity, which may occur with explosive eruptions, has been overlooked in terms of its possible significance. The research was the first of its kind to report on the consequences of earthquakes that occurred at the same time as the eruption, and it uncovered evidence of substantial seismicity that led to building collapses and fatalities.

Two people were allegedly killed when buildings on the Insula dei Casti Amanti collapsed during a recent excavation. People in the city had to take cover for hours as pumice lapilli—small pieces of volcanic rock and ash—rained down on them during the eruption. The eruption appeared to stop for a while, giving the first people to survive a moment of false security. However, the destruction was exacerbated by the occurrence of powerful earthquakes.

According to the bones’ placement, the first person was probably killed instantly after suffering catastrophic injuries when a vast wall fragment collapsed on them. However, the second guy seems to have sensed the danger and attempted to shield himself with a wooden item before he, too, was crushed by the crumbling walls. A tiny trace of this item was found in the volcanic layers by the researchers.

The data suggests that these people did not perish due to heat exhaustion or ash inhalation. The discovery of their bones atop pumice lapilli suggests that the couple managed to survive the initial part of the eruption but were engulfed by crumbling walls during the brief interval between the eruption and the arrival of pyroclastic flows. The skeletal remains show signs of crush injuries similar to those seen by people in contemporary earthquakes.