A new project is performing CAT scans on the plaster casts of the victims of Pompeii. Photo: Mario Caporta/AFP
Posted on 09/30/2015 12:36:18 AM PDT by SunkenCiv
A recently launched project that is performing CAT scans on the remains of Pompeii victims contained within plaster casts has revealed that good health was widespread among people of the ancient city.
“For sure, they ate better than we did,” orthodontist Elisa Vanacore said during a press conference in Pompeii on Tuesday, after analyzing some of the initial results.
“They have really good teeth – they ate a diet that contained few sugars, and was high in fruit and vegetables,” she added, perhaps busting the image of Romans as decadent banquet-loving individuals who loved nothing more than a good binge and visit to the vomitorium.
“The initial results also show the high levels of fluorine that are present in the air and water here, near the volcano,” Vanacore continued, accounting for the excellent dental records discovered so far...
However, while casting allowed archaeologists to perfectly record the external details on each corpse, including facial expressions and clothing, it stopped them from being able to thoroughly analyze the organic materials like teeth and bone inside - until now.
Unfortunately, the machine only allows casts of a 70cm diameter to enter – so parts of the more portly residents of Pompeii will remain a mystery – although their heads and chests will be scanned as much as possible.
On Monday, more of the casts were placed on stretchers and taken to be scanned. It wasn't just the men, women, and children of the ancient city either.
Casts exist of animals like pigs and dogs, all of which were perfectly preserved at the moment of their death when red hot flow of volcanic ash slammed from Mount Vesuvius into the city in AD 79, burying it for the next 1800 years.
(Excerpt) Read more at thelocal.it ...
A new project is performing CAT scans on the plaster casts of the victims of Pompeii. Photo: Mario Caporta/AFP
It’s so weird to be looking at casts with real dead people inside contorted exactly as they were at the moment of their death. Being in that room with them must have been eerie to say the least.
I’d love to see them sometime, but ditto what you said. Some of the bones survived, including at least partial craniums and mandibles, so that the mouths have the original teeth. While none have been identified per se (AFAIK), several people who worked in and were fleeing the temple of Isis were found, still carrying parts of the temple treasury.
Thing about those “trapped” by the Pompeii eruption, they were there because they chose to be.
The volcano had been rumbling for 16 years prior ... plenty of warning to move.
As far as the Pompeii victims are concerned.....to quote Homer (Simpson that is).
At least we'll die doing what we love: inhaling molten rock.
Meanwhile the city itself is crumbling.
Stop wasting euros on this and preserve the rest...You got good enough answers. No need to look further.
‘E’s not dead! ‘E’s jus’ restin’!
‘E’s pinin’ for the fjords!
If you want to know what society was like in Pompei just prior to it’s destruction, do a NOT SAFE FOR WORK web search on the words “Pompeii goat sex” without the quotes.
;’)
Your title gave me a good laugh to start the day. Thanks ;^)
Pumice in the toothpaste?
Thanks for the NSFW warning. Who knew?
There’s nothing like Plaster to bring out a nice, plump, rosy glow!
The volcano had been rumbling for 16 years prior ... plenty of warning to move.
Thing about those “trapped” by the American collapse, they were there because they chose to be.
Fedzillia had been rumbling for 16 years prior ... plenty of warning to move.
Saw an exhibit of Pompei artifacts including some of these eerie body casts. Amazing how they were preserved, but it was unnerving knowing that you were witnessing the moment of their death frozen in time.
***On Monday, more of the casts were placed on stretchers and taken to be scanned***
I know about the filling of the cavaties with plaster to get the cast of the victims, but years ago National Geographic also had an article on how so many bodies were found then were no longer pouring plaster in them, just breaking them open.
The photos showed dozens of skeletons when the cavities were broken open. Would not it have been easier to examine those bones without plaster on them?
I’ve got an interesting book EROS IN POMPEII which shows the art from THE FORBIDDEN ROOMS. Very interesting life they had. Makes “Fellini Satyricon” more understandable.
I bought the book because it had a complete description of what happened written at the time by Pliny the Younger who witnessed the disaster and the loss his dad Pliny the Elder.
“For sure, they ate better than we did,”
Yet the average life span was only 21 years! Yes, 21 years! Must have been that fermented fish sauce killing them off when it wasn’t volcanoes.
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