Archaeologists make dramatic discovery in Pompeii

The skeleton discoverd by archaeologists in Pompeii
The skeleton discoverd by archaeologists in Pompeii Copyright ANSA
Copyright ANSA
By Belle Donati with AP
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Archaeologists in Italy have discovered the skeleton of a man crushed by a rock while trying to flee the Vesuvius eruption

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A nasty end for this man, when he was struck with a 300 kilogramme boiling mass back in 79 A.D. Archaeologists working the ancient city of Pompeii are excited at this discovery — the first skeleton to be found at the site in 40 years.

Anthropologists say the 30-35 year-old man is likely to have survived Mount Vesuvius’ first deadly ash fall, only to be killed by a lump of falling debris, probably part of a building, later. It’s thought he had a limp, due to a bone infection in his leg, and that he was trying to escape when he was hit.

The discovery has been welcomed by the UNESCO World Heritage site, which received €50 million last year from the EU to continue work on the site until 2020.

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