Realistic Animation Shows What Last Day in Pompeii May Have Been Like

Pompeii has fascinated tourists, children, scientists, and everyone else for centuries. But, recent discoveries have shed even more light on what day-to-day life in the affluent Roman city would have been like. The detailed frescoes, servants’ quarts, and exquisite chariots that have been found show a city full of wealth. But, money couldn’t protect the people who lived and worked there. The hardened ash around the bodies would later give the world horrifying glimpses of the last hours of the victims of the Mount Vesuvius explosion in 79 CE.

Casts made from these hollows have become legendary at the Pompeii site- keeping the death of the victims, almost 2,000-years-ago, fresh in the public sphere. But, in case you can’t travel to Italy and experience it in real life you can watch a stunning digital animation of what researchers and historians believe the last day in Pompeii may have looked like.

The video is called “A Day in Pompeii” and was created by Zero One Studio for the Melbourne Museum as part of their 2013 Winter Masterpieces exhibition.

The perspective of the video shows the volcano behind tiled terra cotta roofs in the morning hours. As the day starts out the low rumble of the impending explosion drives birds from their perches and agitates the animals of the city.

By noon tiles are falling from the buildings after prolonged vibrations weaken their structure. Still there is no lava or magma yet and only light smoke appears from the opening of the volcano. By 1pm the smoke and tremors intensify as bit of volcanic ash begin to rain down on the city.

By 3pm the sun is darkened from airborne ash and the city is covered in a dusty layer. However, at this point residents that have not yet fled are very much still alive.

The hours that followed brought great destruction. This animation theorizes exactly how it might have all happened and gives us a chilling listen to the haunting sounds of a volcano.

You can the see the last day in Pompeii in the video below.