Luigi Spina / Archeology Park / EPA
New research challenges assumptions about the gender and kinship of the Pompeii inhabitants whose bodies were preserved.
A recent analysis of the DNA of Pompeii’s ancient residents has revealed surprising new discoveries, overturning long-held assumptions about the identities and relationships of some of the inhabitants of the city desolated by the volcanic eruption of Vesuvius.
The study, published in Current Biology, analyzed the DNA of 14 individuals preserved in plaster molds formed from ash after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, encapsulating them at the moment of death. This new genetic data reveals complex stories about these ancient people that differ significantly from previous interpretations based on modern prejudices.
The preservation of Pompeii victims allowed scientists to extract DNA from skeletal fragments and analyze ancestry, sex and family relationships. Among the study’s conclusions, the researchers highlighted how assumptions linked to gender and family roles led to misinterpretations.
For example, a pair that was traditionally believed to be a mother and a child, due to their posture and the presence of a golden bracelet, proved to be a adult man and a child unrelated. This discovery was made in the so-called “House of the Golden Bracelet”, where it was assumed that two adults and two children represented a nuclear family. Instead, genetic analysis revealed that the four individuals were unrelated men.
These revelations underscore the limits of interpreting ancient societies through modern social norms. David Caramelli, one of the study’s authors, noted that the discovery of such surprising details is not unusual, although he admitted that finding the “family was not a family” was unexpected, writes .
In another case, a pair of individuals found embracing in the “House of Cryptoporticos” were initially considered to be sisters; DNA analysis, however, identified at least one of them as being male. These findings challenge associations between jewelry and femininity and refute assumptions that physical proximity always indicates biological ties.
In addition to reshaping views on family and gender roles, genetic analysis also highlights the cosmopolitan nature of Pompeii. Many of the individuals analyzed descend from immigrants from the Mediterranean eastern region, reinforcing Rome’s reputation as a center of global connections.
The researchers are now expanding their study to include DNA from an additional 168 individuals, which they hope will provide a broader and more detailed understanding of the Pompeii population.
