Archaeologists Uncover Horse Skeleton in Pompeii Bakery Complex

Published on 07/06/2026 – 15:44 GMT+2

An equid skeleton was uncovered during excavations in the bakery area of Pompeii’s House of the Chaste Lovers complex.

The Insula of the Chaste Lovers is a key site in Pompeii, preserving a complete production complex that includes a bakery oven, storage rooms, workspaces and the owner’s residence.

Named after the famous “Chaste Kiss” fresco found in a dining room, the complex features a large bakery with adjacent stables. Previously, other equids were identified as having operated millstones and transported grain for bread production.

“Pompeii has long been celebrated for its frescoes and the chance to study ancient material culture,” said Gabriel Zuchtriegel, director of the Pompeii Archaeological Park.

“In reality, the site offers a deeper understanding of both the lives of its human inhabitants, many of whom were cut short by the eruption, and the animals that sustained them,” he added.

Researchers believe the find will shed light on how animals responded to the catastrophic event and enhance comprehension of the eruption’s impact on Pompeii. The discovery underscores the exceptional state of preservation at the site, allowing experts to reconstruct daily life, production activities and human–animal interactions in the ancient city.

The excavation represented the initial phase of the investigation, followed by preliminary studies of the recovered remains. Ongoing laboratory analyses are expected to provide further insights into the animal’s role within the bakery and the conditions it endured during Mount Vesuvius’s 79 AD eruption.

The discovery was made through close collaboration between archaeologists and specialists from the Applied Research Laboratory, including archaeozoologists, archaeobotanists and anthropologists, as part of an interdisciplinary project.

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