Overview
- The Archaeological Park of Pompeii selected 22 of the best-preserved casts from roughly 100 produced using Giuseppe Fiorelli’s 1863 technique.
- The figures were formed by pouring plaster into body-shaped voids left in hardened ash, preserving final poses and clothing details.
- The installation opened Thursday in the porticoes of the Palestra Grande, opposite the Amphitheatre, with labels explaining each cast’s discovery and state.
- A sign asks visitors to proceed in silence as archaeologists pair the display with modern analyses to determine age, sex, disease and diet.
- Officials note about 2,000 deaths in Pompeii and up to 16,000 across the region, with related finds such as plants, food and personal items providing context.