Pompeii Casts – Process, Places, and Ethical Visiting

How the Casts Were Made

Archaeologists poured plaster into voids left by decomposed bodies in compacted ash, revealing final postures. The method, poignant and controversial, opened a new window on human stories.

Where to See Them

• Garden of the Fugitives: an open-air, sobering encounter amongst vines and light.
• Additional casts appear in protected displays across the site and in Naples museum collections.

Visiting with Care

Avoid posed photos. Stand quietly. Let empathy lead. These are not spectacles but neighbors across time.

Image Highlights

Bottom Line

The casts ask for attention, humility, and a moment of silence — a bridge between ancient ordinariness and sudden ending.