Researchers once thought the victims were jeweled women, but their DNA was the same

A recent study published in the journal Current Biology has revealed new information about the identities, origins and relationships of the victims of the ancient Roman city of Pompeii, which was destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. Through DNA analysis of 14 individuals preserved in the famous plaster casts of Pompeii, an international team of researchers has disproved long-held assumptions about the city’s inhabitants and revealed a more complex and multicultural society than previously believed.

The research was conducted by scientists from the University of Florence in Italy, Harvard University in the USA and the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Germany. Key figures in the study include forensic archaeologist Elena Pilli and geneticists Stefania Vai, David Reich and Alissa Mittnik. The team obtained highly fragmented DNA from bone and tooth fragments in plaster casts made by pouring liquid plaster into the cavities left by decomposed corpses in the 19th century.

One of the most important findings concerns a group of four people from the House of the Golden Bracelet. Previously these individuals were thought to represent a family; A mother holding her child and a father next to her. However, DNA analysis revealed that all four individuals were genetically male and were not biologically related. There is no woman among the dead in the house.

The adult figure wearing a gold bracelet was long assumed to be female due to her jewelry and the position in which she was carrying a child. This challenges traditional archaeological interpretations that associate jewelry with femininity.

Another group of relics, known as the Two Virgins, was previously believed to depict two sisters embracing in their final moments. However, genetic analysis showed that at least one of the individuals was male and that they were not related on the mother’s side, according to Archeology Magazine.

The study’s findings challenge modern assumptions about gender roles and family relationships in ancient societies. “These findings challenge traditional assumptions about gender and family,” said David Reich, Professor of Genetics at Harvard Medical School, in a statement reported by CNN.

The genetic diversity revealed in the analysis indicates that Pompeii was a cosmopolitan city with residents from various parts of the Mediterranean. According to La República, the victims’ genomes showed ancestry from Eastern Mediterranean countries, North Africa and regions corresponding to modern-day Türkiye, Lebanon and Italy.

Alissa Mittnik from the Max Planck Institute emphasized the importance of integrating genetic data with archaeological and historical information to avoid misinterpretations based on modern assumptions. “Our findings have important implications for interpreting archaeological data and understanding ancient societies,” he said, according to a report by the Huffington Post.

The researchers also considered how previous restorations of the plaster casts may have affected interpretations of the victims’ identities and relationships. Created by archaeologist Giuseppe Fiorelli in 1863, the molds involved pouring plaster into cavities left by decomposed corpses. Later restorations sometimes changed the actors’ positions and stances, leading to narratives more in line with modern expectations than historical reality.

According to a report by RPP Noticias, Mittnik explained that the findings “highlight the importance of integrating genetic data with archaeological and historical information to avoid misinterpretations based on modern assumptions.”

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What is revealed about the population of Pompeii has important implications for understanding the social structures in the Roman Empire. The existence of individuals with different genetic backgrounds suggests a society in which there was significant mobility and cultural exchange.

The research team plans to continue their work by examining an additional 168 individuals to provide a more comprehensive picture of the ancient population of Pompeii. Their ongoing efforts aim to deepen our understanding of the genetic diversity, social dynamics, and daily lives of those who lived and died at Pompeii.

Sources: ABC News Australia, CNN, La República, Folha de S.Paulo, RPP Noticias, Huff Post, Semana.com Últimas Noticias de Colombia y el Mundo, Al-Bayan, SciencePost, Proceso, Mirror, Scienze Notizie, NPR, The Independent, El Cronista, Chosun Ilbo, Ars Technica, Helsingin Sanomat, Archeology Magazine

This article was written in collaboration with prolific artificial intelligence company Alchemiq.

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