By Reuters via NBC News
A team of archaeologists has discovered a well-preserved skeleton at a burial site in Pompeii
that has shed new light on funeral rites and cultural activity in the ancient Roman city, local authorities reported Tuesday.
The body of a man, believed to be in his
60s
, was found in a tomb dating from the last decades of Pompeii,
before it was destroyed by the volcano Vesuvius in 79
AD.
In a commemorative inscription on the tomb, the man's name appeared as
Marcus Venerius Secundio
and made reference to his theatrical performances in Pompeii in Greek.
Archaeologists from the ancient city of Pompeii discovered a remarkably well-preserved skeleton during excavations. Capture via NBC News
It is the first time that archaeologists have found definitive evidence that Greek - the lingua franca of the eastern Mediterranean at that time -
was used in artistic presentations in the city alongside Latin.
"The fact that presentations were organized in Greek
is proof of the lively and open cultural climate that characterized ancient Pompeii,"
said Gabriel Zuchtriegel, director of the Pompeii Archaeological Park, explaining the multi-ethnic landscape of the city at that time.
At that time,
adults were normally cremated in Pompeii
, so the burial of Marcus Venerius is seen as highly unusual.
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Archaeologists are investigating whether
the man was embalmed before being buried
.
It is known that some fabrics were used in embalming and fragments of what could be a tissue have been found at the site.
The park said in a statement that it was
one of the best-preserved skeletons ever found at the site
and that it showed signs of partial mummification, with hair and an ear still visible on the skull.
The name of Marcus Venerius appears in another file in the city, which identifies him as a public slave and custodian of the Temple of Venus.
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According to the inscription, after being released, he joined the college of priests dedicated
to the imperial cult
, a group that considered the members of the Roman emperor and his family to be gods.
His imposing tomb suggests that he
had achieved a certain social and economic status before his death.
The burial site is not yet open to visitors
and is outside the city limits.
Pompeii authorities said they were studying how to open the area to the public.
Pompeii, 14 miles southeast of Naples, was home to about 13,000 people when the volcanic eruption buried it under ash, pumice and dust, freezing it in time.
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The site was not discovered until the 16th century and organized excavations began around 1750
.
A recent outbreak of archaeological activity, aimed at curbing years of decay and neglect, has allowed scholars to discover areas that previously remained buried under volcanic debris.