Pompeii: The Mystery of the People Frozen in Time

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Margaret Mountford

Will Aslett

Chris Holt

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Factual: History

Factual: Science & Nature: Science & Technology

27/03/2013

BBC One - Pompeii: The Mystery of the People Frozen in Time

Margaret Mountford uncovers a new story within one of history's most iconic moments.

Margaret Mountford examines new evidence to reveal the sequence of events that destroyed the city of Pompeii and attempts to discover what really killed its people.

The city of Pompeii uniquely captures the public's imagination - in AD79 a legendary volcanic disaster left its citizens preserved in ashes to this very day. Yet no-one has been able to unravel the full story that is at the heart of our fascination - how did those bodies become frozen in time?

For the first time, the BBC has been granted unique access to these strange, ghost-like body casts that populate the ruins and, using the latest forensic technology, the chance to peer beneath the surface of the plaster in order to rebuild the faces of two of the people who were killed in this terrible tragedy.

Margaret Mountford turns detective to tell a new story at the heart of one of history's most iconic moments, as she looks at the unique set of circumstances that led to the remarkable preservation of the people of Pompeii. By applying modern-day forensic analysis to this age-old mystery, Margaret dispels the myths surrounding the events in AD79. She also explores the lives of the individuals who once lived in this vibrant and enigmatic city and recreates the last moments of the people caught up in this tragedy.

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