Professor Andrew Wallace-Hadrill

And to me, that is a project that needs to be done and we need to understand. We've got over 300 skeletons from Herculaneum. And potentially, by looking at their teeth, we can say where they come from, which means were they born in Herculaneum? The water of Herculaneum is very, very distinctive because a volcanic thing is very high in chlorine. So you know a Herculaneum-born tooth.

And to me, that is a project that needs to be done and we need to understand. We've got over 300 skeletons from Herculaneum. And potentially, by looking at their teeth, we can say where they come from, which means were they born in Herculaneum? The water of Herculaneum is very, very distinctive because a volcanic thing is very high in chlorine. So you know a Herculaneum-born tooth.

We know that a lot of them came to Herculaneum through slavery. It could be a most amazing window into the impact of slavery in the high empire on the site. But my guess is that you would find the majority of them were of non-Italian origin. And beyond that, there's the DNA.

We know that a lot of them came to Herculaneum through slavery. It could be a most amazing window into the impact of slavery in the high empire on the site. But my guess is that you would find the majority of them were of non-Italian origin. And beyond that, there's the DNA.

We know that a lot of them came to Herculaneum through slavery. It could be a most amazing window into the impact of slavery in the high empire on the site. But my guess is that you would find the majority of them were of non-Italian origin. And beyond that, there's the DNA.

And we're now at a stage where we can actually extract the DNA and read the DNA and say a lot about the relationships between different skeletons. Are these family members? Often when you find a group of people who died together, you attribute a family relationship.

And we're now at a stage where we can actually extract the DNA and read the DNA and say a lot about the relationships between different skeletons. Are these family members? Often when you find a group of people who died together, you attribute a family relationship.

And we're now at a stage where we can actually extract the DNA and read the DNA and say a lot about the relationships between different skeletons. Are these family members? Often when you find a group of people who died together, you attribute a family relationship.

But DNA work is beginning to show that not necessarily family members, because in the horror of an eruption, you cling to almost anyone. So I believe that that is going to be a scientific discovery that's as big as the reading of the papyri.

But DNA work is beginning to show that not necessarily family members, because in the horror of an eruption, you cling to almost anyone. So I believe that that is going to be a scientific discovery that's as big as the reading of the papyri.

But DNA work is beginning to show that not necessarily family members, because in the horror of an eruption, you cling to almost anyone. So I believe that that is going to be a scientific discovery that's as big as the reading of the papyri.

You're absolutely right. Ten years ago, I wrote a book about Herculaneum. And I'm now trying... to update it for the second edition. And as I do so, I have the appalling prospect that in another 10 years, it'll be out of date again. But that's good. We want to carry on learning exciting new things from this amazing site.

You're absolutely right. Ten years ago, I wrote a book about Herculaneum. And I'm now trying... to update it for the second edition. And as I do so, I have the appalling prospect that in another 10 years, it'll be out of date again. But that's good. We want to carry on learning exciting new things from this amazing site.

You're absolutely right. Ten years ago, I wrote a book about Herculaneum. And I'm now trying... to update it for the second edition. And as I do so, I have the appalling prospect that in another 10 years, it'll be out of date again. But that's good. We want to carry on learning exciting new things from this amazing site.