Pompeii skull under ultraviolet light. This skull is being prepared for tests to establish its age. This child's skull was recovered from the ruins of the Murecine hotel in Pompeii, Italy. Pompeii was a town of around 20,000 people when it was destroyed by the eruption of the nearby volcano Vesuvius in 79 AD. The eruption buried the town in a layer of ash, which preserved the buildings, artefacts, artworks and people in excellent condition. The ruins lay buried for over 1500 years, and serious excavation only began in the 18th century. The area is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.