More than sixty years after excavations at the infamous Garden of the Fugitives, archaeologists have identified one of the victims: a doctor attempting to flee the eruption of Mount Vesuvius.
With nearly 2,000 deaths in just 24 hours, the story of Pompeii remains one of the most devastating tragedies of the ancient world. Two millennia later, each new discovery reveals a little more about the lives of those victims frozen in time by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79. The latest concerns the Garden of the Fugitives, where researchers have identified one of the victims as a doctor caught in the disaster while trying to escape with his medical instruments.
A new and moving discovery at Pompeii
On 15 May, the archaeological site of Pompeii unveiled its latest discovery within the Garden of the Fugitives. Once used as a vineyard and vegetable garden, the area is renowned for having been the final refuge of thirteen victims of the eruption of Vesuvius. Although the site had already been excavated in 1961, recent analyses have shed new light on the victims.
More than sixty years after the first discoveries, a detailed study of a plaster cast revealed a poignant new detail: a small concealed box containing several personal belongings, including coins and instruments resembling a medical kit. The find strongly suggests that the victim was a doctor who had taken his tools with him as disaster struck.
Cutting-edge technology for archaeology
To make this discovery without damaging the contents, researchers used several advanced diagnostic technologies, including X-ray analysis, AI-assisted CT scanning, and 3D reconstructions.
Using these methods, researchers identified a small slate tablet used for preparing medical or cosmetic substances, along with fine metal instruments resembling surgical tools. The analyses also revealed a particularly sophisticated locking mechanism on the box, fitted with a geared wheel system.
These new analytical techniques open up numerous possibilities for studying the hundreds of plaster casts preserved at Pompeii.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ry3cFpf6mhY
Are you passionate about the history of Pompeii? Find out more in these articles:
