When we read about the excavations at Pompeii, we are always impressed with how the bodies found tell the remarkable story of the chaos of the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. While the victims of the volcano are remarkably preserved, the best preserved body found yet is that of a man who died before the disaster. He was a former slave who achieved some notoriety, and was buried when most residents were cremated.
The remains of Marcus Venerius Secundio were found in a tomb at the necropolis of Porta Sarno, which was one of the main entrance gates into the city. The tomb is believed to date back to the decades before Pompeii was destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD79.
What have been described as the best-preserved human remains ever discovered in Pompeii include Secundio’s white hair and a partially visible ear. Initial tests show he died at about the age of 60.
The inscriptions that accompany Secundio's tomb tell us a lot about what was going on in Pompeii before it was destroyed. Read about the find at The Guardian. -via Damn Interesting
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