Archaeologists from Pompeii Park and researchers from the University of Paduain Italy, used Artificial Intelligence to reconstruct the face of one of the victims of the eruption of Vesuvius, in the year 79.
A image shows a man, visibly scared, running with a object already head, with Vesuvius erupting in the background.
The artificial portrait is from the Archaeological Park of Pompeii in collaboration with the University of Padua. The institutions were based on the varchaeological remains found near the necropolis of Porta Stabiaoutside the walls of the old city.
Those involved in this work believe that the man in question, whose body was found next to another, was fleeing towards the coast when he was “caught”. for a intense volcanic debris fall.
The object found next to the remains must be a pestle, which the man would have used to protect himself from the volcanic stones expelled. by the volcano.
A Reuters notes that ancient reports, namely by the Roman writer Pliny, detail that many of the Italian city’s inhabitants covered their heads with various objects to protect themselves.
In addition to the mortar, next to the body, objects such as an oil lamp, an iron ring and 10 bronze coins were found.
The image was generated using AI and photo editing techniqueswhich aim to digitally represent a human throughe bones and traces found in archaeological excavations.
“If used well, artificial intelligence can contribute to a renewal of classical studies, presenting the classical world in a more engaging way”, said the director of the archaeological park, Gabriel Breeding barsin a statement consulted by Reuters.
The once-thriving city about 25 kilometers southeast of Naples, southern Italy, was buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79, preserving buildings, objects and bodies under meters of ash.
Rediscovered in the 18th century, it is now one of the most important archaeological sites in the world and one of the most popular tourist sites in Italy, with 4.3 million visitors in 2024, according to the most recent statistics.
