After centuries, it has been discovered that long-standing beliefs about some of the inhabitants of Pompeii were not as accurate as previously thought.

Recent DNA analysis of human remains from the ancient Roman town destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD has shown that some victims were misidentified, challenging modern assumptions. This has shed light on how historical data is viewed in the past.

The authors of the study published in the journal Science on Thursday wrote, “We have found that traditional interpretations regarding an individual’s gender and familial connections do not align with the new evidence.” They also added, “It is not always reliable to apply modern gender norms when interpreting historical information.”

Archaeologists in Pompeii famously immortalized the victims by using plaster to recreate their bodies, leading to various stories being told about them. For example, it was believed for a long time that two women died embracing each other and a mother was found holding her child.

However, the new DNA analysis revealed that the individual thought to be the child’s mother was actually an unrelated man. Additionally, at least one of the individuals believed to be sisters or mother and daughter were actually both men.

Professor David Reich, one of the authors of the study, warned about the dangers of inventing stories about gender and family relationships in ancient societies based on present-day expectations.

The study involved researchers from the University of Florence in Italy and the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany. They used preserved genetic material to determine the gender, ancestry, and genetic relationships of the victims by examining 14 casts that had been preserved for about 2000 years.

Their findings also showed that the residents of Pompeii were diverse, with ancestral roots primarily traced back to immigrants from the Eastern Mediterranean. This underscores the multicultural nature of the city and its inhabitants.

Mount Vesuvius had been mostly inactive before the catastrophic eruption that lasted over 24 hours with devastating power. The eruption buried Pompeii, home to an estimated 20,000 people, under layers of ash, pumice, and mud, preserving the city for centuries.

Pompeii remained buried and forgotten until its rediscovery in 1748. In the 19th century, archaeologists used a technique to create casts of the victims by pouring plaster into the voids left by decomposed bodies, resulting in lifelike molds that captured the victims’ final moments.

Ongoing research on Pompeii continues to unveil new insights into the ancient city and its inhabitants. Recent discoveries, such as using artificial intelligence to decipher a charred scroll and the unveiling of a luxurious home, highlight the constant exploration of Pompeii’s history.