Yahoo News Archaeologists find remains of man who survived Pompeii eruption, only to be killed by falling stone
Officials at the archaeological site of Pompeii have discovered the skeleton of a man who was crushed by an enormous stone as he tried to flee the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79AD.
On Tuesday, a new photograph showed the skeleton protruding from under a large block of stone that may have been part of a door which was thrown by the huge volcanic eruption.
The victim, who was estimated to be over 30, suffered a crushed thorax.
His head is yet to be discovered and officials believed that he may have suffered from a leg infection that caused walking difficulties, potentially stopping him from making an escape.
Massimo Osanna, the site’s general director, described it as ‘an exceptional find’, that contributes to a better “picture of the history and civilisation of the age”.
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A statement confirmed: ‘A formidable stone block (perhaps a door jamb), violently thrown by the volcanic cloud, collided with his upper body, crushing the highest part of the thorax and yet-to-be-identified head, which probably lies under the stone block.’
