Two archaeologists have discovered in the ruins of Pompeii, Italy, the remains of an egg-carrying tortoise that died before the eruption of Vesuvius that destroyed the ancient city in AD 79.
The 14 centimeter long reptile brought new clues about the last years of the city, which was in the reconstruction phase after the earthquake that happened in the year 62 AD.
The pregnant tortoise, of the species Testudo hermanni, seems to have taken shelter in a dilapidated warehouse to lay her egg, but died.
“The animal’s intrusion was not detected by those responsible for the renovation of the site and its remains were covered,” explained the archaeological site in a statement on Friday (24).
During the rebuilding of the city, “some spaces were so little used that wild animals could move in them, enter and look for a place to lay eggs”, said the director general of the facilities, Gabriel Zuchtriegel.
The tortoise was found near the so-called stabian hot springs, enlarged after the earthquake.
The eruption of Vesuvius nearly 2,000 years ago left the city buried. These sediments made it possible to almost perfectly preserve many buildings, as well as the bodies of victims. Pompeii, in southern Italy, is the country’s second tourist destination, after the Coliseum in Rome.
_174401.jpg?fit=%2C&ssl=1)
