79 AD
Pompeii corpses | Popular mummies that were preserved
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The pregnant woman
A woman was found lying in the middle of a narrow street. People often referred to her as the pregnant woman, but that might have just been an illusion caused by the way her clothes were gathered.
The master and the slave
Two men were discovered side by side. One, likely in his 30s or 40s, had a strong build and traces of wool near his neck, suggesting he was a man of status dressed in a tunic. The other, much younger—around 18 to 23—wore a pleated tunic and had compressed vertebrae, a sign of heavy labor. He was likely a slave.
The merchant
The merchant died with his hands raised, a metal nail pinning his head and arm. His wrist bones showed severe arthritis, and breaks in his upper arm suggest he had taken a hard fall at some point.
The farmer’s daughter
Among the remains of a young couple was their child—the youngest victim found in Pompeii. Based on her teeth, she was around 12 to 14 months old when the disaster struck.
The two maidens
Originally thought to be two women, these embraced figures turned out to be two men—one about 18, the other roughly 20 years older. At first, they were assumed to be father and son, but tests showed they weren’t related, hinting at the possibility of a romantic bond.
The shackled slave
Chained to a wall with no way to escape, this slave had no choice but to face his fate. His body was found face down, a heartbreaking reminder of just how powerless he was when the volcano erupted.
The pet
One of the most heartbreaking finds in Pompeii is the cast of a guard dog, discovered still chained outside the House of Orpheus. The bronze studs on its collar mark its role as a protector, left behind as its owners fled.
