It’s the only archeological site in the world that provides a complete picture of an ancient Roman city. However, new research published on Thursday, Nov. 7, has raised doubts about the authenticity of Pompeii.
DNA analysis of the skeletal remains of those killed in the ancient eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D. shows some of the victims may have been wrongly identified.
Pompeii’s victims were preserved by archeologists in the 19th century using plaster to fill the voids their bodies left. Observers have long told stories based on the molds archeologists created and claimed one to be a mother holding a child and two women embracing each other as they died.
Scientists now believe that story is wrong. Researchers found the person believed to be the mother was actually a man unrelated to the child. They also learned at least one person in the embrace, of what was thought to be a pair of sisters or a mother and daughter, was also a male.
Researchers say the study shows the mistakes people can make in assuming the social norms of their time were the same in the ancient world.
More than a dozen casts of the victims of Pompeii were examined as part of the study.
The new details come at a time when the UNESCO World Heritage Site is claiming larger and larger crowds. In fact, so many people are visiting the ancient ruins that the archeological park announced on Friday, Nov. 8, new limits on visitors, capping the number at 20,000 a day.
Beginning on Nov. 15, park officials say visitors will need a personalized ticket to enter. Officials say the new limits are to prevent overtourism in an effort to keep the ancient city well-preserved.
