Pompeii: New genetic insights are rewriting the history of Pompeii’s residents, as researchers from the University of Florence, Harvard University, and the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology reveal surprising details about gender, ancestry, and kinship among those entombed by Vesuvius in 79 AD.
By analyzing DNA from the skeletal remains within 14 of the famed plaster casts, scientists found that many assumptions based on appearance and positioning are inaccurate, including interpretations of family ties and gender roles.
Their findings indicate that, rather than being a homogeneous community, Pompeii was a cosmopolitan hub within the Roman Empire. Genetic evidence shows most Pompeians were descended from immigrants from the eastern Mediterranean, a testament to the cultural diversity of the time.
For example, four individuals in the “House of the Golden Bracelet” believed to be a nuclear family showed no genetic relation, and another pair thought to be mother and child turned out to be an unrelated adult male and child.
This revelation highlights the need for interdisciplinary approaches in archaeology, as Pompeii’s past holds lessons in the complexities of ancient societies. The Pompeii Park, led by Director Gabriel Zuchtriegel, is at the forefront of this approach, combining genetic analysis, isotopic studies, and reverse engineering. These efforts are not only enhancing our understanding of Pompeii but are also making it a central site for pioneering research in archaeology.