A new exhibit shows plaster casts of Pompeii victims frozen at the time of death

More than 20 plaster casts of victims who perished in the catastrophic volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD went on display Thursday in a permanent exhibition at the archaeological site of Pompeii, Italy.

These haunting reproductions, which scholars refer to as “imprints of pain,” capture with startling accuracy the final moments of Pompeii’s residents. Created by pouring liquid plaster into the voids left by decomposed bodies in the hardened volcanic ash, the casts preserve not only the positions in which victims died but also their expressions of anguish and details of their clothing.

“We wanted to give dignity to these people who are like us — women, children, men — who died during the eruption, but at the same time make it understandable,” explained Gabriel Zuchtriegel, director of the Archaeological Park of Pompeii. “We want people to understand what really happened in Pompeii.”

The technique used to create these remarkable casts was invented by Giuseppe Fiorelli in 1863 and continues to be employed by researchers at the archaeological park today. Pompeii stands as the only known archaeological site in the world that allows for this type of evidence recovery, offering visitors a unique window into a moment frozen in time nearly two millennia ago.

The devastating eruption of Mount Vesuvius claimed an estimated 2,000 lives within Pompeii itself, with total casualties across the region potentially reaching 16,000. The ancient Roman city was completely entombed beneath layers of ash and later solidified by pyroclastic flows, preserving it in remarkable detail until excavations began in the 18th century.

“They have a strong emotional impact on visitors and can be very moving,” said Silvia Martina Bertesago, an archaeologist at the Pompeii Archaeological Park. She noted that modern scientific techniques allow researchers to determine not only the victims’ age and sex but also information about their health conditions and dietary habits.

The exhibition, carefully curated to honor the victims while educating the public, features 22 of the best-preserved casts. These remains were discovered throughout Pompeii — from deep within residential areas to the city gates and roads leading outward, where panicked residents fled in a desperate but ultimately futile search for safety.

During excavations, archaeologists discovered the remains of over a thousand victims trapped in various locations throughout the ancient city. Some were buried under a rain of pumice stones and volcanic rock, while others were killed by collapsing roofs and walls that buckled under the weight of volcanic debris, which accumulated to heights of approximately three meters (about 10 feet).

The new exhibition is housed in the porticoes of the Palestra Grande, located opposite Pompeii’s amphitheater. Beyond the display of human remains, the exhibition also features sections dedicated to preserved plant life and food items that remained buried for centuries under the protective layers of ash and lava.

This permanent installation represents an important addition to the UNESCO World Heritage site, which attracts more than 4 million visitors annually. The archaeological park has undergone significant restoration and conservation efforts in recent years as part of the Great Pompeii Project, a multi-million-euro initiative aimed at preserving the site for future generations.

The exhibition offers visitors a powerful and sobering reminder of the human cost of natural disasters and provides valuable insights into Roman life in the 1st century AD. The plaster casts stand as both scientific artifacts and deeply moving memorials to those who perished in one of history’s most famous natural catastrophes.