Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-lnqnp Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-17T05:37:37.890Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A re-evaluation of manner of death at Roman Herculaneum following the AD 79 eruption of Vesuvius

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 January 2020

Rachelle Martyn ,
Oliver E. Craig ,
Sarah T.D. Ellingham ,
Meez Islam ,
Luciano Fattore ,
Alessandra Sperduti ,
Luca Bondioli  and
Tim Thompson
Rachelle Martyn
Affiliation:
Department of Archaeology, University of York, UK
Oliver E. Craig
Affiliation:
Department of Archaeology, University of York, UK
Sarah T.D. Ellingham
Affiliation:
School of Science, Engineering and Design, Teesside University, UK
Meez Islam
Affiliation:
School of Health and Life Sciences, Teesside University, UK
Luciano Fattore
Affiliation:
Department of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Materials, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
Alessandra Sperduti
Affiliation:
Bioarchaeology Service, Museum of Civilizations, Rome, Italy
Luca Bondioli
Affiliation:
Luigi Pigorini Museum of Prehistory and Ethnography, Rome, Italy
Tim Thompson*
Affiliation:
School of Health and Life Sciences, Teesside University, UK
*
*Author for correspondence: ✉ t.thompson@tees.ac.uk
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79, Herculaneum is one of the world's most famous Roman settlements. Exactly how the victims died during the eruption, however, remains unclear. The authors address this issue by examining changes in bone apatite structure and collagen preservation, combined with collagen extraction. Results suggest that the prolonged presence of soft tissue, as well as the stone chambers in which inhabitants had sought shelter, acted as thermal buffers that minimised the heat-induced degradation of skeletal tissues. The results have implications for the interpretation of large residential sites and for contexts where heating and burning is associated with buildings.

Keywords

HerculaneumVesuviusRomanthermal diagenesisFTIRcollagen
Type
Research Article
Information
Antiquity , Volume 94 , Issue 373 , February 2020 , pp. 76 - 91
Copyright
Copyright © Antiquity Publications Ltd, 2020

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bohnert, M., Rost, T. & Pollack, S.. 1998. The degree of destruction of human bodies in relation to the duration of fire. Forensic Science International 95: 11–21. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0379-0738(98)00076-0CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Boschin, F., Zanolli, C., Bernardini, F., Princivalle, F. & Tuniz, C.. 2015. A look from the inside: microCT analysis of burned bones. Ethnobiology Letters 6: 258–66. https://doi.org/10.14237/ebl.6.2.2015.365CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Buckley, M. & Collins, M.J.. 2011. Collagen survival and its use for species identification in Holocene–lower Pleistocene bone fragments from British archaeological and paleontological sites. Antiqua 1. https://doi.org/10.4081/antiqua.2011.e1CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Capasso, L. 2000. Herculaneum victims of the volcanic eruptions of Vesuvius in 79 AD. The Lancet 356: 1344–46. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(00)02827-0CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Caricchi, C., Vona, A., Corrado, S., Giordano, G. & Romano, C.. 2014. 79 AD Vesuvius PDC deposits’ temperatures inferred from optical analysis on woods charred in situ in the Villa dei Papiri at Herculaneum (Italy). Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research 289: 14–25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2014.10.016CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Carroll, E.L. & Smith, M.. 2018. Burning questions: investigations using field experimentation of different patterns of change to bone in accidental vs deliberate burning scenarios. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports 20: 952–63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2018.02.001CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cascant, M.M., Rubio, S., Gallello, G., Pastor, A., Garrigues, S. & de la Guardia, M.. 2017. Burned bones forensic investigations employing near infrared spectroscopy. Vibrational Spectroscopy 90: 21–30. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vibspec.2017.02.005CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Christensen, A. 2002. Experiments in the combustibility of the human body. Journal of Forensic Science 47: 466–70.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cioni, R., Gurioli, L., Lanza, R. & Zanella, E.. 2004. Temperatures of the AD 79 pyroclastic density current deposits (Vesuvius, Italy). Journal of Geophysical Research 109: B02207. https://doi.org/10.1029/2002JB002251CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Collins, M., Nielsen-Marsh, C., Hiller, J., Smith, C. & Roberts, J.. 2002. The survival of organic matter in bone: a review. Archaeometry 44: 383–94. https://doi.org/10.1111/1475-4754.t01-1-00071CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Craig, O. et al. 2009. Stable isotopic evidence for diet at the Imperial Roman coastal site of Velia (1st and 2nd centuries AD) in southern Italy. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 139: 572–83. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.21021CrossRefGoogle Scholar
DeHaan, J. & Nurbakhash, S.. 2001. Sustained combustion of an animal carcass and its implications for the consumption of human bodies in fires. Journal of Forensic Sciences 46: 1076–81. https://doi.org/10.1520/JFS15101JCrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
DeNiro, M. 1985. Postmortem preservation and alteration of in vivo bone collagen isotope ratios in relation to palaeodietary reconstruction. Nature 317: 806–809. https://doi.org/10.1038/317806a0CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dobberstein, R.C., Collins, M.J., Craig, O.E., Taylor, G., Penkman, K.E.H. & Ritz-Timme, S.. 2009. Archaeological collagen: why worry about collagen diagenesis? Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences 1: 31–42. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-009-0002-7CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ellingham, S.T.D., Thompson, T.J.U. & Islam, M.. 2015. Thermogravimetric analysis of property changes and weight loss in incinerated bone. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 438: 239–44. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2015.08.009CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ellingham, S.T.D., Thompson, T.J.U. & Islam, M.. 2016. The effect of soft tissue on temperature estimation from burnt bone using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Journal of Forensic Sciences 61: 153–59. https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.12855CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Etok, S. et al. 2007. Structural and chemical changes of thermally treated bone apatite. Journal of Materials Science 42: 9807–16. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-007-1993-zCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fattore, L., Bondioli, L., Garnsey, P., Rossi, P. & Sperduti, A.. 2012. The human skeletal remains from Herculaneum: new evidence from the excavation of fornici 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11. Poster presented at the AAPA 81st Annual Meeting. Portland, Oregon, 11–14 April 2012.Google Scholar
Gerling, I., Meissner, C., Reiter, A. & Oehmichen, M.. 2001. Death from thermal effects and burns. Forensic Science International 115: 33–41. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0379-0738(00)00302-9CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Giordano, G. et al. 2018. Thermal interactions of the AD 79 Vesuvius pyroclastic density currents and their deposits at Villa dei Papiri (Herculaneum archaeological site, Italy). Earth and Planetary Science Letters 490: 180–92. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2018.03.023CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gonçalves, D. & Pires, A.E.. 2015. Cremation under fire: a review of bioarchaeological approaches from 1995 to 2015. Archaeological and Anthropological Science 9: 1677–88. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-016-0333-0CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Holden, J., Phakey, P. & Clement, I.. 1995. Scanning electron microscope observations of heat-treated human bone. Forensic Science International 74: 29–45. https://doi.org/10.1016/0379-0738(95)01735-2CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Jans, M., Nielson-Marsh, C., Smith, C., Collins, M. & Kars, D.. 2004. Characterisation of microbial attack on archaeological bone. Journal of Archaeological Science 31: 87–95. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2003.07.007CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kent, D., Ninkovich, D., Pescatore, T. & Sparks, S.. 1981. Palaeomagnetic determination of emplacement temperature of Vesuvius AD 79 pyroclastic deposits. Nature 290: 393–96. https://doi.org/10.1038/290393a0CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Keough, N., L'Abbé, E.N., Steyn, M. & Pretorius, S.. 2015. Assessment of skeletal changes after post-mortem exposure to fire as an indicator of decomposition stage. Forensic Science International 246: 17–24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2014.10.042CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
van Klinken, G.J. 1999. Bone collagen quality indicators for palaeodietary and radiocarbon measurements. Journal of Archaeological Science 26: 687–95. https://doi.org/10.1006/jasc.1998.0385CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Koon, H., Loreille, O., Covington, A., Christensen, A., Parsons, T. & Collins, M.. 2008. Diagnosing post-mortem treatments which inhibit DNA amplification from US MIAs buried at the Punchbowl. Forensic Science International 178: 171–77. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2008.03.015CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lebon, M. et al. 2010. New parameters for the characterization of diagenetic alterations and heat-induced changes of fossil bone mineral using Fourier transform infrared spectrometry. Journal of Archaeological Science 37: 2265–76. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2010.03.024CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Leone, G., Vita, A. de, Magnani, A. & Rossi, C.. 2016. Thermal and petrographic characterization of Herculaneum wall plasters. Archaeometry 59: 747–61. https://doi.org/10.1111/arcm.12275CrossRefGoogle Scholar
de Ligt, L. & Garnsey, P.. 2012. The Album of Herculaneum and a model of the town's demography. Journal of Roman Archaeology 25: 69–94. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1047759400001148CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Makoye Ng'Walali, P., Koreeda, A., Kibayashi, K. & Tsunenari, S.. 1999. Fatalities by inhalation of volcanic gas at Mt. Aso crater in Kumamoto, Japan. Legal Medicine 1: 180–84. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1344-6223(99)80034-0CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Martyn, R.E.V., Garnsey, P., Fattore, L., Petrone, P., Sperduti, A., Bondioli, L. & Craig, O.E.. 2018. Capturing Roman dietary variability in the catastrophic death assemblage at Herculaneum. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports 19: 1012–29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2017.08.008Google Scholar
Mastrolorenzo, G., Petrone, P., Pagano, M., Incoronato, A., Baxter, P., Canzanella, A. & Fattore, L.. 2001. Herculaneum victims of Vesuvius in AD 79. Nature 410: 769–70. https://doi.org/10.1038/35071167CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mastrolorenzo, G., Petrone, P., Pappalardo, L. & Guarino, F.. 2010. Lethal impact at periphery of pyroclastic surges: evidences at Pompeii. PLoS ONE 5: e11127. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0011127CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Milner, N. et al. 2011. From rags to riches: organic deterioration at Star Carr. Journal of Archaeological Science 38: 2818–32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2011.02.015CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Munro, L., Longstaffe, F. & White, C.. 2007. Burning and boiling of modern deer bone: effects on crystallinity and oxygen isotope composition of bioapatite phosphate. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 249: 90–102. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2007.01.011CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Person, A., Bocherens, H., Mariotti, A. & Renard, M.. 1996. Diagenetic evolution and experimental heating of bone phosphate. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 126: 135–49. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-0182(97)88906-7CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Petrone, P.P. 2011. Human corpses as time capsules: new perspectives in the study of past mass disasters. Journal of Anthropological Science 89: 3–6.Google Scholar
Petrone, P. et al. 2018. A hypothesis of sudden body fluid vaporization in the 79 AD victims of Vesuvius. PLoS ONE 13: e0203210. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0203210CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Piga, G., Guirguis, M., Thompson, T.J.U., Isidro, A., Enzo, S. & Malgosa, A.. 2016. A case of semi-combusted pregnant female in the Phoenician-Punic necropolis of Monte Sirai (Carbonia, Sardinia, Italy). Homo—Journal of Comparative Human Biology 67: 50–64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jchb.2015.09.001CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rowan, E. 2017. Bioarchaeological preservation and non-elite diet in the Bay of Naples: an analysis of the food remains from the Cardo V sewer at the Roman site of Herculaneum. Environmental Archaeology 22: 318–36. https://doi.org/10.1080/14614103.2016.1235077CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Salesse, K., Dufour, E., Lebon, M., Wurster, C., Castex, D., Bruzek, J. & Zazzo, A.. 2014. Variability of bone preservation in a confined environment: the case of the catacomb of Sts Peter and Marcellinus (Rome, Italy). Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 416: 43–54. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2014.07.021CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schmidt, C., Oakley, E., D'Anastasio, R., Brower, R., Remy, A. & Viciano, J.. 2015. Herculaneum, in Schmidt, C. & Symes, S. (ed.) The analysis of burned human remains: 149–61. Cambridge (MA): Academic. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-800451-7.00008-5CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schwark, T., Heinrich, A., Preuße-Prange, A. & Wurmb-Schwark, N.. 2011. Reliable genetic identification of burnt human remains. Forensic Science International: Genetics 5: 393–99. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsigen.2010.08.008CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
van der Sman, R. 2007. Moisture transport during cooking of meat: an analysis based on Flory-Rehner theory. Meat Science 76: 730–38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2007.02.014CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Smith, C., Chamberlain, A., Riley, M., Cooper, A., Stringer, C. & Collins, M.. 2001. Neanderthal DNA: not just old but old and cold? Nature Communications 410: 771–72. https://doi.org/10.1038/35071177CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Snoeck, C., Lee-Thorp, J.A. & Schulting, R.J.. 2014. From bone to ash: compositional and structural changes in burned modern and archaeological bone. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 416: 55–68. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2014.08.002CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Squires, K.E. 2015. The integration of microscopic techniques in cremation studies: a new approach to understanding social identity among cremation-practising groups from early Anglo-Saxon England, in Thompson, T.J.U. (ed.) The archaeology of cremation: burned human remains in funerary studies: 151–72. Oxford: Oxbow. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctvh1drsq.12CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thompson, T.J.U. 2015a. Fire and the body: fire and the people, in Thompson, T.J.U. (ed.) The archaeology of cremation: burned human remains in funerary studies: 1–17. Oxford: Oxbow. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctvh1drsq.6Google Scholar
Thompson, T.J.U. 2015b. The analysis of heat-induced crystallinity change in bone, in Schmidt, C. & Symes, S. (ed.) The analysis of burned human remains: 323–37. Cambridge (MA): Academic.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thompson, T.J.U., Islam, M. & Bonniere, M.. 2013. A new statistical approach for determining the crystallinity of heat-altered bone mineral from FTIR spectra. Journal of Archaeological Science 40: 416–22. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2012.07.008CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thompson, T.J.U., Szigeti, J., Gowland, R.L. & Witcher, R.E.. 2016. Death on the frontier: military cremation practices in the north of Roman Britain. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports 10: 828–36. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2016.05.020CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tibbett, M. & Carter, D. (ed.). 2008. Soil analysis in forensic taphonomy: chemical and biological effects of buried human remains. Boca Raton (FL): CRC. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781420069921CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Trueman, C., Privat, K. & Field, J.. 2008. Why do crystallinity values fail to predict the extent of diagenetic alteration of bone mineral? Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 266: 160–67. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2008.03.038CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ubelaker, D. 2015. Case applications of recent research on thermal effects on the skeleton, in Thompson, T.J.U. (ed.) The archaeology of cremation: burned human remains in funerary studies: 213–26. Oxford: Oxbow. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctvh1drsq.14CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vassalo, A.R., Mamede, A.P., Ferreira, M.T., Cunha, E. & Gonçalves, D.. 2019. The G-force awakens: the influence of gravity in bone heat-induced warping and its implications for the estimation of the pre-burning condition of human remains. Australian Journal of Forensic Sciences 51: 201–208. https://doi.org/10.1080/00450618.2017.1340521CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zanella, E. et al. 2000. Archaeomagnetic results from mural paintings and pyroclastic rocks in Pompeii and Herculaneum. Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors 118: 227–40. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9201(99)00146-6CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Supplementary material: PDF

Martyn et al. supplementary material

Table S1

Download Martyn et al. supplementary material(PDF)
PDF 113.3 KB