Pompeii is world famous for its casts, impressive testimonies to the tragedy that befell its inhabitants. The casts are the result of a technique developed by archaeologist Giuseppe Fiorelli in the second half of the nineteenth century, which made it possible to recover the shapes of objects and bodies trapped under volcanic ash.
The Technique of Making
The technique of making casts is based on the fact that the volcanic ash, as it solidified, created a perfect mold of the objects and bodies it enveloped. Fiorelli sensed that by filling these voids with liquid plaster, faithful copies of the originals could be obtained.
The process consists of several steps:
Identification of voids: Archaeologists identify the voids left by bodies or objects within the solidified ash.
Preparation of the gypsum: A liquid gypsum mixture is prepared, which is then carefully poured inside the voids.
Solidification: The plaster solidifies, taking the shape of the mold left by the ash.
Cast extraction: Once the plaster has hardened, the cast is extracted, which is then cleaned and restored.
Significant Findings.
Thanks to the cast technique, archaeologists have been able to recover an incredible variety of objects, from furniture to furnishings to food. But it is the casts of the bodies that arouse the most emotion and provide a poignant record of the tragedy.
The body casts show the inhabitants of Pompeii in their last poses, immortalized at the moment when death caught them. Some are in an attitude of flight, others are trying to protect themselves from the rain of ash and lapilli, and still others are embraced in a final gesture of affection.
A Unique Heritage in the World
The Pompeii casts are a unique heritage in the world, offering a moving and intimate glimpse into the daily life of a Roman city and the tragedy that befell it. Their creation required a great deal of effort on the part of archaeologists and restorers, but the result is a work of inestimable historical and artistic value.
In addition to casts of human bodies, there are also casts of animals, such as that of a turtle and its egg, discovered during excavations of a workshop. This finding demonstrates the variety of information that the technique of casts can provide archaeologists.
Significance for Archaeological Research
The casts of Pompeii are not only a poignant testimony to the tragedy, they are also a valuable source of information for archaeological research.
Casts allow us to:
Reconstruct the daily life of ancient Pompeians: Through casts of objects we can learn about the house furnishings, working tools, clothing and food used by the inhabitants of Pompeii.
Study the anatomy and diseases of the ancient Romans: Body casts provide valuable information about the physical appearance, diet and diseases of the ancient Romans.
Understanding the dynamics of the eruption: Analysis of the casts of bodies and objects allows reconstructing the different phases of the eruption and its impact on the city.
Conservation and Future of the Casts
Preservation of Pompeii's casts is an ongoing challenge for experts. Casts are fragile and susceptible to weathering, so they require careful maintenance and restoration. In recent years, the Pompeii Archaeological Park has initiated major projects to restore and digitize the casts, with the goal of preserving them for future generations. Digitization, in particular, makes it possible to create virtual copies of the casts, which can be studied and admired by a wider public without endangering the originals.
Pompeii's casts are a unique record in the world of the life and death of an entire city. Through their preservation and the development of new technologies, they will continue to fascinate and teach for many years to come.