The skeleton, first unearthed in the 1980s, was said to be an ordinary soldier
A recent dig uncovered clues that suggests he was part of Rome s elite army
Experts say he was a Pretorian Guard in the Bay of Naples during the 1st
century
It is believed that he was attempting to help others during the event
Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79AD that killed some 2,000 people instantly
Extraordinary : Fossils of nine Neanderthals unearthed in Italy cave
Nathan Howes
Monday, May 10th 2021, 6:25 pm - The date of one of the fossils can be traced as far back as 90,000 to 100,000 years ago, and the remaining pieces are thought to be 50,000 to 68,000 years old, according to Italy s cultural ministry.
The unravelling of nine Neanderthal fossils is being hailed as a significant discovery that the whole world will talk about.
That s according to Italy s Culture Minister Dario Franceschini, who made the remarks in a news release with the agency s announcement Saturday. The fossils were unearthed in the Guattari Cave in San Felice Circeo, about 88 kilometres southeast of Rome, Italy.
Neanderthals werenât cannibals but were eaten by giant hyenas
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Rome: The discovery of a prehistoric human skull in a cave in Italy has disproved macabre theories that Neanderthals indulged in ritual cannibalism â instead pointing to the prospect that they were eaten by giant hyenas.
The skull was one of thousands of fossilised bones and bone fragments found in the large cave near the village of San Felice Circeo, on the Tyrrhenian coast about half-way between Rome and Naples.
Grisly Lair in Italy Was Where Ancient Hyenas Feasted on Their Neanderthal Prey
SOPHIE ANKEL, BUSINESS INSIDER
10 MAY 2021
Archaeologists have discovered the fossilized remains of nine Neanderthals who were hunted and mauled to death by a pack of hyenas in a cave just outside Rome, the Italian Culture Ministry announced Saturday.
The fossilized bones, which included skullcaps and broken jawbones, were discovered in the Guattari Cave in San Felice Circeo in Italy s Lazio region. They are believed to have belonged to seven adult males, one female, and one young boy.
Scientists from the Archaeological Superintendency of Latina and the University of Tor Vergata in Rome believe the bones come from different time periods. The oldest remains dating from between 100,000 and 90,000 years ago. The other eight Neanderthals are believed to date from 50,000-68,000 years ago.
Neanderthals werenât cannibals but were eaten by giant hyenas
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By Nick Squires
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Rome: The discovery of a prehistoric human skull in a cave in Italy has disproved macabre theories that Neanderthals indulged in ritual cannibalism â instead pointing to the prospect that they were eaten by giant hyenas.
The skull was one of thousands of fossilised bones and bone fragments found in the large cave near the village of San Felice Circeo, on the Tyrrhenian coast about half-way between Rome and Naples.