AI Reveals the Face of the Pompeii Victim who Fled from the Vesuvius Eruption

Archaeologists believe the man was killed by a volcanic rock on the second day of the eruption, while fleeing towards the sea. (Pompeii - Parco Archeologico - Facebook - The Independent)

JAKARTA - Archaeologists in Pompeii, Italy, for the first time used artificial intelligence or AI to re-describe the figure of the victim of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. The victim died when the Roman city was destroyed almost 2,000 years ago.

Launching a report by The Independent, Wednesday, April 29, the AI-generated image was released by the Pompeii Archaeological Park on Monday. The image shows a man crouching, with a large bowl on his head, while Mount Vesuvius is lit behind him.

The reconstruction was made based on the latest findings in the form of the remains of an adult male outside the southern gate of Pompeii. Near the body, a clay seal was found, which is suspected to have been used by the victim to protect himself.

Archaeologists believe the man was killed by a volcanic rock on the second day of the eruption. At that time, he was allegedly fleeing towards the sea.

The victim also carried a lamp and 10 bronze coins. Small finds like these make the tragedy of Pompeii not only seen as a great disaster, but also a story of humans trying to survive.

The head of the Pompeii Archaeological Park, Gabriel Zuchtriegel, quoted from The Independent, said AI could give a new color to classical studies if used properly. The technology, said Zuchtriegel, could help illustrate the ancient world in a more vivid and understandable way.

Pompeii is about 25 kilometers southeast of Naples. The city was buried when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD. Volcanic ash covered buildings, objects, and graffiti so that they remained preserved for centuries.

Pompeii was rediscovered in the 18th century. Now, the site is one of the most famous archaeological tourist destinations in Italy. In 2024, Pompeii was visited by 4.3 million people.