University of ValenciaLlorenç Alapont with some of the plaster casts made of Pompeii’s victims. A new analysis of 14 plaster casts of the victims of Pompeii revealed that some people were wearing heavy wool clothing when the eruption of Mount Vesuvius took place. It’s generally agreed that the eruption occurred on August 24, 79 C.E. — a time of year that would typically be much too hot for wool cloaks and tunics. However, scientists are split as to what exactly the discovery of this clothing suggests. Some believe it means that that August simply happened to be unusually cold, or perhaps that people wore wool year-round at the time because of its durability and relatively low cost, no matter the weather. Others, however, believe that this discovery supports the idea that Mount Vesuvius actually erupted later in the year, contrary to Pliny the Younger’s written record of the event. So, when did Mount Vesuvius erupt and destroy Pompeii? Here’s what the latest evidence says. Researchers Discover That Some People Were Wearing Wool When Mount Vesuvius Erupted University of ValenciaBy examining the casts, researchers were able to conclude that some Pompeii victims were wearing wool when they died. The research, which was led by archaeologist Llorenç Alapont, was presented in November at an archaeological conference held near the ancient Roman city. It has not yet been peer-reviewed or published. After re-examining 14 plaster casts of victims at Pompeii, the team of researchers found that at least four of them, who were both inside and outside of their homes on that fateful day, were wearing wool clothing. “From a study of the casts, we can learn how people dressed on a specific day in history,” Alapont said in a statement from the University of Valencia. “We can also determine the type of fabric they wore and the weave of the threads, which in this case is thick.” Most of the people wearing wool wore both a wool tunic and a wool cloak. Alapont posits that the wool could have been worn to protect themselves from the gasses or heat that came from the eruption, a theory that remains unconfirmed as of now. Wool wasn’t a rare clothing material at the time. In fact, it was very common and would have been relatively affordable and appealingly durable. Pedar Foss, a historian and archaeologist at DePauw University, told Live Science, “They were wearing wool because that’s what people wore at that time. About 90% of all clothing anywhere was wool.” However, it’s possible that there’s another reason why some people were wearing two pieces of heavy wool. The Significance Of The Wool Cloaks Being Worn When Pompeii Was Destroyed Hulton Archive/Getty ImagesMany victims of Vesuvius were found lying face down. Experts are currently split on what the evidence of wool clothing worn by Pompeii victims actually signifies. It is possible, for one, that these people may have put on wool clothing during the course of the 18-hour eruption in order to shield themselves from ash and debris. On the other hand, the discovery of the wool clothing adds to the existing dispute about when Mount Vesuvius erupted. Based on a contemporaneous written account of the disaster by the prominent Roman author and statesman Pliny the Younger, the most widely accepted date of the eruption is August 24, 79 C.E. Heritage Art/Heritage Images via Getty ImagesOver the years, 104 casts of Pompeii victims have been made. This account was copied poorly during the Middle Ages, leading to speculation about its accuracy. However, more recent research has confirmed that Pliny did record the date of the eruption as being “Nonum Kalendas Septembres,” “the ninth day before the first of September,” in a letter to Roman historian Tacitus. But, there are still proponents of the theory that the eruption actually occurred at a later date. They point to evidence of autumnal fruits found at Pompeii, an inscription scrawled in charcoal on a wall, and a coin that was found in the ancient city that may actually be from after August of 79 C.E. No matter the reason why people were wearing wool, the research completed by Alapont’s team at least adds to the haunting picture of victims’ experiences at the moment that this historic disaster occurred. After reading about what some victims wore when Mount Vesuvius erupted, discover how a Pompeii construction site has revealed the secrets of Roman concrete. Then, take a look at 33 of Pompeii’s stunning frescos. The post When Did Mount Vesuvius Erupt? New Evidence Suggests Pompeii May Not Have Been Destroyed When Experts Think appeared first on All That's Interesting.

Arkeologerna, SHMMuddy sediment encases the body of the dog and the bone dagger, which is visible at the bottom of the frame. Ahead of the development of a high-speed railway near Gerstaberg, Sweden, archaeologists recently excavated a bog that was once a lake. During their dig, they came across two surprising artifacts: a bone dagger and the remains of a dog that was seemingly sunk into the water intentionally. The two objects, which are roughly 5,000 years old, offer a tantalizing glimpse at funerary practices during the Stone Age. What’s more, archaeologists believe that prehistoric people once had a thriving lakeside settlement nearby. The 5,000-Year-Old Dog And The Bone Dagger Found In A Bog Arkeologerna, SHMArchaeologists excavating the bog, which was a “shimmering lake” some 5,000 years ago. According to a press release from Arkeologerna, a Swedish archaeological consulting firm, the dog and the dagger were found near Gerstaberg during excavations ahead of the Ostlänken railway development project. While digging in the bog — which was a deep lake 5,000 years ago during the Stone Age — the archaeologists came across the remains of a dog with a crushed skull buried alongside a bone dagger. The dagger, which is roughly 10 inches long and made of elk or red deer bone, was placed “in direct connection” to the paws of the dog, suggesting that they were deposited together. “Finding an intact dog from this period is very rare, and the fact that it was deposited together with a bone dagger is almost unique,” archaeologist and Arkeologerna project manager Linus Hagberg remarked. Arkeologerna, SHMThe crushed skull of the dog is visible here, sticking out of the mud. Though archaeologists are hoping to conduct further tests to learn more about the dog, they’ve so far determined that it was a “large and powerful male” with a shoulder height of roughly 20 inches. The dog was around three to six years old when it died and had seemingly lived an active life. “It had been deliberately lowered to a depth of [roughly five feet] and about [100 to 130 feet] out into the lake. The use of dogs in ritual practices during this period is a known phenomenon,” Hagberg explained. He added that radiocarbon dating, isotope analysis, and DNA analysis of the dog’s remains will also tell researchers about “when the dog lived, its age, and what it ate.” This, in turn, can tell archaeologists more about the people who lived alongside the dog. But archaeologists have already uncovered a few clues about the Stone Age settlement that once existed on the edge of the lake. A Once Thriving Lakeside Settlement From The Stone Age Arkeologerna, SHMEvidence of a Stone Age fish trap that archaeologists found at the site. In addition to the dog remains and the bone dagger, archaeologists also found evidence of a lakeside settlement that existed at the site from roughly 3300 B.C.E. to 2600 B.C.E. Specifically, they found “well-preserved wood material,” including stakes and posts that might have once formed wooden piers along the shore. They also uncovered “deliberately placed stones,” which could have served as anchors and net weights, as well as a prehistoric fish trap made of interwoven branches. “Adjacent to the fish trap are trampled areas where it is possible to see that people have stood and moved about on the lakebed,” Hagberg remarked. “These appear as patches in the mud. Perhaps they were checking their traps.” Though many questions about the dog burial in the Swedish bog remain, it’s far from the first time that archaeologists have found evidence of prehistoric humans burying canines. In recent years, archaeologists have also uncovered the 8,400-year-old burial of a man with a dog in Sweden, the 2,700-year-old ritual burial of four dogs in Turkey, and the 1,100-year-old burial of a Viking woman who was seemingly laid to rest with her dog in Norway. For now, archaeologists are still puzzling over why the dog was sunk in the lake with the bone dagger in Sweden. And though exact answers remain elusive, further testing may offer exciting insights into the Stone Age community where the dog once lived. After reading about the Stone Age dog burial that was uncovered in Sweden, discover the stories of 11 famous dogs who earned the title of “man’s best friend.” Or, learn about some of Europe’s most famous “bog bodies” that have been preserved in marshlands for centuries. The post Archaeologists Excavating A Bog In Sweden Just Came Across A 5,000-Year-Old Dog Burial appeared first on All That's Interesting.

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