Pompeii archaeologists use AI to reconstruct people killed in volcanic eruption: NPR

ROME – Archaeologists and researchers at the ancient Roman site of Pompeii have for the first time used artificial intelligence to digitally reconstruct the face of a man killed in the 79 AD eruption of Mount Vesuvius that devastated the city, offering a new way to understand one of history’s most famous natural disasters.

The digital image represents a man whose remains, along with those of another man, were discovered when they attempted to flee the city during a volcanic eruption towards the coast of what is now Italy. Researchers believe the man died early in the disaster, during a massive fall of volcanic debris.

The reconstruction was developed by the Pompeii Archaeological Park, which announced on its website that it was carried out in collaboration with the University of Padua and based on archaeological survey data from excavations near the Porta Stabiae necropolis, just outside the ancient city walls.

FILE – A view of the Pompeii archaeological park near Naples, southern Italy, on December 14, 2022.

Andrew Medichini/AP

hide caption

toggle caption

Andrew Medichini/AP

The announcement featured an AI-generated illustration of what the man might have looked like. He is shown running down a rough, debris-covered road, holding a large, shallow bowl over his head and using it as a shield, while Mount Vesuvius is seen erupting in the background.

Pompeii, a UNESCO World Heritage Site near Naples, was buried under ash and pumice when Vesuvius erupted nearly 2,000 years ago, leaving the remains of the city and its thousands of inhabitants remarkably preserved.

Archaeologists found the man holding a terracotta mortar, which they interpreted as an improvised attempt to protect his head from small volcanic stones that fell with rain during the eruption.

Ancient accounts – including those by the Roman writer Pliny the Younger – describe Pompeii residents using the objects to protect themselves as ash and debris covered the city.

The man also had an oil lamp, a small iron ring and 10 bronze coins, personal items that provide information about his final moments as well as daily life in Pompeii before the disaster.

The digital portrait was created using AI and photo-editing techniques designed to translate skeletal and archaeological data into realistic human likenesses.

“The vastness of archaeological data is now such that only with the help of artificial intelligence will we be able to adequately preserve and enhance them. If used well, AI can contribute to the renewal of classical studies,” Pompeii Park director Gabriele Zuchtrygel said in a statement.

The researchers said the project aims to make archaeological research more accessible and emotionally engaging to the public while maintaining a scientific basis.