Archeologists at the site of Pompeii’s volcanic eruption, which devastated the Roman city in 79CE, have revealed a detailed timeline of how the horror unfolded across 32 hours.
The cataclysmic events are thought to have begun at around 12pm on August or October 24.
An “eruption column” of rocky volcanic fragments and gas was blasted into the air above Mount Vesuvius.
Then, from 2pm, pumice, a rock formed when lava solidifies, rained down. The debris eventually measured up to nine feet thick.
Remains discovered by researchers suggest that some confused and terrified residents – Roman citizens and slaves alike – decided to shelter in buildings from the material.
But the weight of the pumice was too great, and properties collapsed, crushing those within.
Five hours into the eruption, at 7.06pm, the first pyroclastic current emerged from the volcano – a deadly hot and fast-moving flow of gas and particles. Those who had not yet fled to a safe position, or had decided to stay in the city, were vaporised. The process was even capable of turning human tissue into glass – a process known as vitrification, MailOnline reports.
The fatal waves continued overnight into the following day, happening around 80 minutes apart, and, at abour 5.30am on the 25th, the eruptive column collapsed.
At 7.07am, a huge nine-hour pyroclastic current struck, hitting debris 15 miles across.
By around 4pm, the volcano interacted with groundwater, meaning its explosiveness increased and it generated finer, less dense pyroclastic currents.
But these were still capable of travelling around 10 miles and were destructive. However, they do not contain human remains, suggesting that few of Pompeii’s residents remained alive.
At 8.05pm, the eruption stopped. But the ordeal was not over, as an earthquake may have proved to be the final blow for any survivors.
Pompeii is now a deeply fascinating place to explore, providing insight into daily Roman city life.
The bodies of some of its inhabitants were preserved in a protective shell of ash before decaying. The voids that these bodies left behind have been filled with plaster to recreate their final moments.