The Plaster People of Pompeii

I remember first hearing of the infamous “Plaster People” in my 5th grade history class. The idea of an ancient civilization buried and preserved beneath the destructive force of a volcano fascinated and disturbed me as a kid. I finally got to visit Pompeii, and we spent all day roaming the the incredibly well-preserved ruins. The most moving sight of all was by far the “Garden of the Fugitives”. Here, plaster was poured into the spaces in the ash left by decomposed bodies. After the plaster had hardened, thirteen adults and children were found huddled together, making futile attempts to shield themselves from the onslaught of volcanic dust, pumice, stone, and ash.