Please note–this lecture has been replaced by a live WEBINAR by Dr. Kevin Dicus (University of Oregon), the link for registration is as follows:

GoToWebinar Registration URL: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4492610414650559500

Abstract: This talk examines the modern life histories of Pompeii’s body casts. I begin by tracing the development of the casting technique that created the most tangible and poignant remains of Pompeii. These casts, however, are far from being snapshots of that infamous day; rather, modern intervention, and even fabrication, have blurred the distinction between ancient and modern. With the imagined biographies assigned to the victims, to the methods of forming and displaying the casts, they potentially present distorted information about how the people lived and died. However, recent scientific analysis seeks to remedy this and to reinstate their original identities as much as possible. The final part of this paper introduces these scientific methods and reveals new details about who these people really were.