Archaeologists have recently begun excavations in a new area of Pompeii, revealing one of the most unfortunate discoveries yet. The eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79, one of history’s most infamous natural disasters, buried the city and its 11,000 residents in ash.

In March 2018, researchers opened a previously unexplored section known as ‘Regio V’, which had not been studied since the post-war era. There, they uncovered the skeleton of a man who seems to have been crushed by a massive stone block.

Remarkably, this individual appears to have survived the initial eruption phase, as his remains were found above a deep layer of volcanic debris known as lapilli. The evidence suggests he attempted to escape after the initial blast and ventured into an alley now filled with debris. It was there that he was struck by a boulder propelled by a pyroclastic flow—a high-speed mixture of hot gas, ash, and rock fragments that can travel up to 430 miles per hour and reach temperatures of 1,000°C.

The boulder, which has the shape of a door jamb, likely hit the man as he turned to look behind him, knocking him backwards and crushing his upper body. Anthropologists, analyzing the skeletal remains, determined that he was likely a man in his 30s. They also identified lesions on his tibia, indicating a bone infection that would have made walking or running challenging, potentially hindering his escape.

It is presumed that his skull is crushed beneath the stone, as it has not yet been recovered. Additionally, another victim was found who had managed to grab a bag of coins before fleeing.