Found near the Porta Stabia necropolis, the victims were a man in his mid-30s with a bowl and oil lamp and another aged 18 to 20.
Researchers say the older man likely died in falling ash, possibly using the terracotta bowl to shield his head, while the younger survivor was later killed by pyroclastic flows.
Published in Scavi di Pompei, the study used AI with the University of Padua to reconstruct an attempted escape, echoing Pliny the Younger's account of darkness, torches and head protection.
If AI can reconstruct Pompeii's victims, what lost history will it rewrite next?
When AI recreates the past, are we witnessing history or a beautiful lie?
New Pompeii Skeletons Uncover Earthquake Deaths and Desperate Escape Attempts in 79 AD Eruption
Overview
The 79 CE eruption of Mount Vesuvius devastated Pompeii through a deadly three-phase assault: an initial ash and pumice fall forced people indoors or into the streets, causing some deaths like a man near Porta Stabia who used a terracotta bowl as a helmet; simultaneous seismic activity triggered structural collapses that crushed others, including two older men in the House of the Chaste Lovers; and finally, fast-moving pyroclastic surges killed those caught in open areas, such as a young man near the city gate. In May 2026, archaeologists uncovered these victims’ skeletons, and AI technology was used to reconstruct the face and last moments of the older man, leading to a revised understanding of Pompeii’s multi-hazard destruction and the diverse experiences of its inhabitants during the catastrophe.