Remains of Man Crushed by Rock Discovered at Pompeii

Archaeologists have discovered the remains of a man apparently crushed by a giant rock while attempting to escape as Pompeii was at the mercy of a catastrophic volcanic eruption.

When Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD, anyone in its path was left frozen in time under ash and pumice that has preserved the Roman city for centuries. 

Officials have uncovered the skeleton of one man who managed to survive the initial blast, but met an unfortunate end while trying to flee. 

The man, believed to be over 30 years old, was decapitated by an enormous rock that was “violently thrown by the volcanic cloud,” APTN reported. 

Authorities determined the man had an infection in his tibia, which would have made walking, much less running, difficult.

The man was found on the first floor of a building, above a layer of small stones believed to have been carried by the cloud. His head has yet to be found, and archaeologists believe it could still be under the stone. 

Officials are calling the skeleton an "exceptional find" in their continued effort to study the people of Pompeii and the methods they used in their attempts to escape. 

RELATED STORIES