The plaster casts are the preserved forms of people and animals who died in the 79 AD eruption of Vesuvius. As bodies decomposed inside the hardened ash, they left hollow spaces. In the 1860s, archaeologist Giuseppe Fiorelli invented the technique of pouring plaster into these voids to recreate the exact posture of the person at the moment of death.
In 1863, the archaeologist Giuseppe Fiorelli had a revelation that would change our understanding of Pompeii forever. He noticed hollow spaces in the compacted ash — spaces the exact shape of a human body. He had liquid plaster poured into the hollows. What emerged when the ash was carefully removed were people: a man covering his face with his arm, a woman with her hand over her mouth, a dog straining at its leash, a family huddled together. The casts are not artistic reconstructions. They are exact three-dimensional records of the final moments of specific human lives, captured in the hardened ash of Vesuvius. Nothing in the ancient world — nothing in archaeology — is quite like them.
Top Tickets
# Entry Ticket with Audio Guide
# Guided Tour with an Archaeologist
# 2-Hour Small Group Tour
Table of Contents
The Science Behind the Casts
How are the Pompeii plaster casts made? When the pyroclastic surges from Vesuvius buried Pompeii under 4–6 metres of ash, the bodies of victims were encased. Over centuries, the organic matter decomposed, leaving hollow cavities in the exact shape of the body — including clothing folds, facial features, and hair. Plaster poured into these voids hardens in the shape of the cavity. CT scanning has since been used to examine the bones inside the casts without damaging them.
The technique has evolved since Fiorelli’s first experiments. Today, transparent resin or acrylic is sometimes used instead of plaster, allowing the bones inside to be visible. CT scanning of the existing plaster casts has revealed details previously invisible — the condition of the teeth (indicating diet and health), the age of victims, and in some cases even the fabrics of their clothing preserved in negative form in the ash.
More than 1,150 body casts have been made at Pompeii and the surrounding sites. They range from adults and children to animals — including pigs, a dog, and a horse. The oldest surviving casts are now on display in the Antiquarium, recently reopened with a purpose-built permanent exhibition.
The 2025 Permanent Exhibition
In 2025, Pompeii opened a new permanent exhibition — ‘Memorie dal 79 d.C.’ (Memories from 79 AD) — in the restored Antiquarium near the Porta Marina entrance. The exhibition presents the casts with new scientific context, including CT scan data, osteoarchaeological analysis, and evidence from the organic remains found alongside them (food, fabric, tools). It is the most significant curation of the casts since Fiorelli’s era and represents a major shift from displaying them as passive objects to presenting them as the subjects of a forensic and historical investigation.
The exhibition also addresses the ethical dimension of the display — acknowledging that these are real people, not museum artefacts, and that their display requires sensitivity and respect. This is handled thoughtfully: the casts are presented with the individual’s known context wherever possible, and the tone of the interpretation is reflective rather than sensationalising.
Where to See the Plaster Casts at Pompeii
The Antiquarium
The primary location for the casts, adjacent to the Porta Marina entrance. The new 2025 permanent exhibition is here. Allow 30–40 minutes for this exhibition alone — it repays careful attention.
The Garden of the Fugitives (Orto dei Fuggiaschi)
The most emotionally powerful location for the casts: a vineyard in the south-eastern part of the site where 13 people — adults, children, and an infant — were found huddled together against the outer garden wall. The casts are displayed in situ, in the positions where the victims were found. Many visitors consider this the most affecting place in all of Pompeii.
Scattered Locations
Individual casts are displayed throughout the site at the locations where the victims were found — including in the Granary of the Forum, the House of the Cryptoporticus, and the Alley of the Skeletons. A guided tour will ensure you find all the significant display locations.
The Casts and What They Tell Us
The casts have been central to a revolution in understanding how the eruption killed Pompeii’s residents. Earlier interpretations assumed suffocation from ash. CT scanning and osteoarchaeological analysis of the bones within the casts has shown that the predominant cause of death in the first pyroclastic surge was extreme heat — estimated at 250–300°C — causing instantaneous death from thermal shock. This explains the extraordinary frozen poses: the bodies did not slowly suffocate but were killed in an instant, the muscles contracting in the heat before the ash fixed them permanently.
Practical Visitor Information
Are the Casts Included in the Standard Ticket?
Yes — the Antiquarium and Garden of the Fugitives are both accessible with the standard Pompeii Express entry ticket. No additional admission is required. Pre-book your entry ticket with audio guide to skip the gate queue.
Is This Appropriate for Children?
The plaster casts are consistently cited by families as the most memorable part of a Pompeii visit for children. They make the eruption immediately real in a way that no other exhibit does. Handle with appropriate sensitivity for younger children — see our guide to visiting Pompeii with kids.
