Ancient DNA always brings surprises. It was collected from the famous casts of charred bodies in the ruins of Pompeii. And it tells different stories than the supposed ones about the victims. The secrets of the remains of Pompeii are revealed.
In Current Biology, it is stated that DNA evidence shows this. Sexes of the individuals and their family relationships were identified. They do not coincide with the traditional interpretations that had been formulated.
Different story
“The scientific data we provide does not always match common assumptions.” This is stated by David Reich, from Harvard University. “An adult wearing a gold bracelet and holding a child was interpreted as mother and child. But it was an unrelated adult man and child. And a pair of individuals thought to be sisters, or mother and daughter, included at least one genetic male. “These findings challenge traditional assumptions about gender and family.”
They extracted DNA from highly fragmented skeletal remains mixed with plaster casts. They focused on 14 of the 86 molds that are being restored. Their approach allowed them to precisely determine the genetic relationships, sex and ancestry of those 14 individuals. It contrasted greatly with long-held assumptions.
The genetic data offered information about the ancestry of the Pompeians. They had diverse genomic backgrounds. They were mainly descended from recent immigrants from the eastern Mediterranean. The find highlights the cosmopolitan nature of the Roman Empire, according to the researchers.
Dismantling biases
«Our findings have significant implications for the interpretation of archaeological data. And for the understanding of ancient societies,” they say. «It highlights the importance of integrating genetic data with archaeological and historical information. It is done to avoid misinterpretations based on modern assumptions. “This study also highlights the diverse and cosmopolitan nature of Pompeii’s population, reflecting broader patterns of mobility and cultural exchange in the Roman Empire.”
The secrets of the remains of Pompeii show that it is always necessary to broaden our approaches. This study illustrates how unreliable narratives based on limited evidence can be. They often reflect the worldview of the researchers at the time,” they add.
