In A First, Archaeologists Use AI To Reveal Face Of One Of Victims Of Pompeii Volcanic Eruption

Last Updated:April 27, 2026, 23:45 IST

The reconstruction was developed by the Pompeii Archaeological Park and is based on archaeological survey data from excavations near the Porta Stabia necropolis.

For the first time, the archaeologists have used artificial intelligence to reconstruct the appearance of one of the victims of the volcanic eruption that destroyed the ancient Roman city nearly 2,000 years ago.

According to Reuters, the AI-generated image, released by the Pompeii Archaeological Park on Monday, shows a man ducking for cover while holding a large bowl over his head, with a flaming Mount Vesuvius in the background.

Recently, remains of a male adult, just outside one of the southern gates of the city, was found lying next to a terracotta mortar that he presumably used as protection.

Reuters quoted the archaeologists saying that the man was killed by a shower of volcanic rocks, in the early hours of the second day of the eruption, while trying to escape towards the sea. He was also carrying a lamp and 10 bronze coins, the park said.

According to Associated Press, the digital portrait was created using AI and photo-editing techniques designed to translate skeletal and archaeological data into a realistic human likeness.

“If used well, artificial intelligence can contribute to a renewal of classical studies, illustrating the classical world in a more immersive way," the head of the archaeological park, Gabriel Zuchtriegel, said in a statement.

The reconstruction was developed by the Pompeii Archaeological Park in collaboration with the University of Padua and is based on archaeological survey data from excavations near the Porta Stabia necropolis, just outside the walls of the ancient city, Associated Press reported.

Pompeii, a UNESCO World Heritage site near Naples, was buried under ash and pumice when Mount Vesuvius erupted nearly 2,000 years ago.

News world In A First, Archaeologists Use AI To Reveal Face Of One Of Victims Of Pompeii Volcanic Eruption

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