Human bones found near an ancient food stand (thermopolium) in Regio V (region 5) of the ruins of Pompeii, Italy. The remains of two humans were found in this food stall, though the way they were arranged suggests they were already moved by grave robbers. Pompeii was a Roman town with a population of around 20,000 that was destroyed when the volcano Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 CE. The eruption buried the town under a thick layer of ash, and it remained undiscovered until 1599. It was not until 1749 that attempts were made to excavate the town. The layers of ash have preserved the site, allowing archaeologists to glean much about life in the Roman Empire.