Skeletal Remains of First-Century Couple Clutching Gold and Silver Found in Pompeii Home

Recent discoveries in Italy reveal crucial details about the lifestyle of people in the first century. Skeletal remains of a man and woman, presumably a couple, along with their belongings have been unearthed in Pompeii, CNN reported. 

The remains were found by a team of researchers while digging through Region Nine of Pompeii, WWNY reported. Along with the skeletal remains of the man and woman, the project has also uncovered many ancient buildings and artifacts.

In the first century, Pompeii had a population of around 20,000 Romans, WWNY reported. During 79 A.D. the city was buried under ash and volcanic glass, due to the eruption of Mount Vesuvius.

The skeletal remains were found in a small bedroom. Seeing the condition of the house where the man and woman were discovered, the archaeologists concluded that it was undergoing renovation. The duo was using the bedroom as a sleeping space.

Archaeologists found the woman clutching a small cache of gold, silver, and bronze coins, as well as gold and pearl earrings.

The room where the remains were found contained items like a wooden bed, stool, chest, and marble-topped table, CNN reported. The team discovered bronze, glass, and ceramic objects, and a large bronze candelabrum in the house.

Archaeologists in the project also believe that the duo used the room during the disaster, as a refuge when the Vesuvius erupted and began destroying their city, CNN reported.

"The room was chosen as a refuge by the two people while waiting for the end of the fall of pumice that had been gradually filling the open spaces for hours in the rest of the house," the archaeologists said in a statement, CNN reported.

The duo kept the pumice out of their bedroom by locking the door, CNN reported. Their death was ultimately caused by the pyroclastic flow, a mixture of rock fragments, gas, and ash that travels rapidly (tens of meters per second) from a volcanic vent, USGS reported.

The team hopes that the remains and unearthed items give them more knowledge regarding the society and people of those times, CNN reported.

"The opportunity to analyze the invaluable anthropological data relating to the two victims found within the archaeological context that marked their tragic end, allows us to recover a considerable amount of information about the daily life of the ancient Pompeiians and the micro-histories of some of them, with precise and timely documentation, confirming the uniqueness of the Vesuvian territory," Gabriel Zuchtriegel, Director, Archaeological Park of Pompeii said.