The remains of the man, who was between 40 and 45 years old, were found a stone’s throw from the coastline at the time. “He was found with his head facing the sea,” Serrano said. The archaeologist believes that the man was blown away by a cloud of burning ash emanating from the volcano from which he tried to escape.

“His last moments must have been horrible,” says Serrano. “It was one o’clock in the morning when the first smoldering ash cloud reached the city, the temperature was 300 to 400 degrees, and according to some studies even 500 to 700 degrees. The boiling cloud moved and reached a speed of about 100 kilometers per hour. The sea was so dense that every Oxygen is gone.”

fabric and metal

The site was last excavated 25 years ago. Then more than 300 people were found in the place where the sandy beach was located in ancient times. Perhaps they waited there for the Roman world’s naval fleet and commander Pliny the Elder to take them to safety. According to Cyrano, the man now found may have been an aide to Pliny who was searching.

To learn more about the discovery, a large piece of lava rock containing the skeleton is cut out and taken to the laboratory for further research. In addition to the skeleton, traces of tissues and minerals were also found. “It could be a bag of tools or weapons and coins,” Serrano suggests.