Pompeii Casts. Victims 30, 31, 32 and 33 found at Porta Nocera on North West side of Via delle Tombe between September 1956 and April 1957.

North-west side of Via delle Tombe. April 2019.

Looking east towards display area showing the plaster-casts of some fleeing fugitives.

Four victims were found between September 1956 and March 1957. Plaster casts were made. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

North-west side of Via delle Tombe. July 2010. Area where fleeing fugitives/victims were found.

Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

North-west side of Pompeii Via delle Tombe, upper area with plaster cast of victim 30. December 2006.

Area on north-west side of Via delle Tombe, near Porta Nocera. December 2006. Lower area with casts of victims 31, 32 and 33.

Victim 30. The Boxer.

Male victim, aged over 20 years, found September 1956 in the area south-west of Porta Nocera.

Due to his massive build, Maiuri hypothesized that he was a servant or a man who carried out hard work. For the same reason and because of his position he defined him as a boxer.

See Osanna, N., Capurso, A., e Masseroli, S. M., 2021. I Calchi di Pompei da Giuseppe Fiorelli ad oggi: Studi e Ricerche del PAP 46, p. 390-1, Calco n. 30.

Victim 30 found outside Porta Nocera. April 2019. Plaster cast of remains of a fleeing victim found in September 1956.

Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

Pompeii, outside Porta Nocera. July 2010. Plaster cast of a fleeing victim 30 found in September 1956.

Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

Victim 30. Pompeii, outside Porta Nocera. July 2010. Plaster cast of a fleeing victim found in September 1956.

A press photo dated 10th September 1956, in Rick’s collection, identifies this cast as one from Porta Nocera.

Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

Victim 30. Pompeii, outside Porta Nocera. Head and shoulders of plaster cast of a fleeing victim found in September 1956.

Victim 31

Male victim, aged 13 to 19 years, found 16th March 1957 between tower II of the walls and Porta Nocera, at the foot of the walls.

The victim was found very close to victim 32 and not far away from victim 33.

There are traces of drapery on the right buttock, the back (lumbar area), and on the abdomen. There are perhaps traces of sandal soles and belts.

Also note the particular shape of the upper part of the head which would suggest the presence of a tight-fitting cap (such as the Phrygian one).

See Osanna, N., Capurso, A., e Masseroli, S. M., 2021. I Calchi di Pompei da Giuseppe Fiorelli ad oggi: Studi e Ricerche del PAP 46, p. 392-4, Calco n. 31.

Victim 31. Pompeii, outside Porta Nocera. April 2019.

Plaster cast of remains of a second fleeing victim found 16th March 1957. There are perhaps traces of sandals.

Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

Pompeii, outside Porta Nocera. April 2019. Plaster cast of remains of a second fleeing victim 31 found 16th March 1957.

There are perhaps traces of belts. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

Victim 31. Pompeii, outside Porta Nocera. Plaster cast of remains of a second fleeing victim found 16th March 1957.

Victim 31. Pompeii, outside Porta Nocera. July 2010. Plaster cast of a second fleeing victim found 16th March 1957.

Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

Victim 32

Male victim, aged over 20 years, found 16th March 1957 between tower II of the walls and Porta Nocera, at the foot of the walls.

The victim was found very close to victim 31 and not far away from victim 33.

There were traces of thin fabric around the waist, on the buttocks and something similar to rolled up drapery on the left thigh and right arm. Perhaps traces of a sandal around the left foot.

He wore a ring from which a carnelian gemstone engraved with a bird had escaped, found near the body.

See Osanna, N., Capurso, A., e Masseroli, S. M., 2021. I Calchi di Pompei da Giuseppe Fiorelli ad oggi: Studi e Ricerche del PAP 46, p. 395-6, Calco n. 32.

Victim 32. Pompeii, outside Porta Nocera. April 2019.  

Plaster cast of remains of a third fleeing victim found 16th March 1957.

There were traces of thin fabric around the waist, on the buttocks and something similar to rolled up drapery on the left thigh and right arm.

Perhaps traces of a sandal around the left foot.

Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

Victim 32. Pompeii, outside Porta Nocera.

Front view of plaster cast of remains of a third fleeing victim found 16th March 1957.

Victim 32. Pompeii, outside Porta Nocera.

Rear view of plaster cast of remains of a third fleeing victim found 16th March 1957.

Pompeii, outside Porta Nocera. July 2010.

Plaster cast of a third fleeing victim 32 found on 16th March 1957. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

Victim 33

Victim 33. Male victim, aged over 7 to 19 years, found April 1957 between tower II of the walls and Porta Nocera, at the foot of the walls.

The body was found along with those of victims numbered 31 and 32.

The chin appears to be covered by a very thin veil-like fabric, while on the left arm there is some drapery. He was wearing lace-up sandals.

Maiuri believed that it was the body of an old beggar, whose stick at the moment of death was behind his back while the begging bowl must have been under his legs.

See Osanna, N., Capurso, A., e Masseroli, S. M., 2021. I Calchi di Pompei da Giuseppe Fiorelli ad oggi: Studi e Ricerche del PAP 46, p. 397-9, Calco n. 33.

Victim 33. March 2024. The information card describes this as: Cast of “wayfarer” with imprints of lace-up sandals. Copy in resin.

Vittima 33. Marzo 2024. La scheda informativa lo descrive come: Calco di "viandante" con impronte di sandali con lacci. Copia in resina.

Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella.

Victim 33. Pompeii, outside Porta Nocera. Front view of plaster cast of a fourth fleeing victim found in April 1957.

Victim 33. Pompeii, outside Porta Nocera. Rear view of plaster cast of a fourth fleeing victim found in April 1957.

Victim 33. Pompeii, outside Porta Nocera. July 2010.

Plaster cast of a fourth fleeing victim found in April 1957.

The chin appears to be covered by a very thin veil-like fabric, while on the left arm there is some drapery. He was wearing lace-up sandals.

Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

Victim 33. Pompeii, outside Porta Nocera. July 2010. Plaster cast of a fourth fleeing victim. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

Area on north-west side of Via delle Tombe, with plaster casts. December 2006.