Pompeii Casts. Victim 4, also known as "The Pregnant Woman".

Found in February 1863 in Vicolo degli Scheletri

Found a small distance from victims numbered 1, 2 and 3.

Victim 4 is probably female aged over 20 years old.

Said to have been found on 6th of February 1863 with victims 1 and 2, a small distance from victim 4.

The location of the other three victims found near no. 4 was not precisely reported, but it is understood that it was the same place as victim 2.

In particular, victims 2 and 3 were 10 palms (about 2.5m) from the corner of insulae 10 and 13 of Regio VII, where lay victim 1.

In fact, no. 4 was located in the centre of the Vicolo degli Scheletri (Regio VII) about 25m from the crossroads with the vicolo della Maschera and victims 1, 2 and 3.

There is evidence of drapery on the upper part of the chest, which can perhaps be interpreted as a tunic.

Breton in 1869 had, due to her protruding belly, hypothesized that the woman was pregnant.

Her abdomen is very swollen, which is why at the time the cast was created, a pregnancy was hypothesized, later denied by the CT scan performed in 2015.

See Osanna, N., Capurso, A., e Masseroli, S. M., 2021. I Calchi di Pompei da Giuseppe Fiorelli ad oggi: Studi e Ricerche del PAP 46, p. 321-3, Calco n. 3.

Victim 4, photograph by M. Amodio no. 2985, from an album dated 1878. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

Victim 4, part of a stereo photograph by Michele Amodio. Photo courtesy of Eugene Dwyer.

Victim 4, unnamed and undated hand written round edge card. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

Victim 4, photographed by Brogi, (no. 5577), described on the card as “The Pregnant Woman”, in a display case in the museum.

Photo courtesy of Eugene Dwyer.

Victim 4, known as The Pregnant Woman, from Cioffi (after photograph), c.1900.

In his description of this plaster-cast in his Guida di Pompei, 1877, Fiorelli described –

“Young woman [no.4], with a ring on her finger and a boot on one foot, whose leg is admirable. (Reg.VII, Insula XIV, via quarta).”

See Fiorelli, Guida di Pompei, [Rome, 1877,] p.88-89.

See Dwyer, E., 2010. Pompeii’s Living Statues. Ann Arbor: Univ of Michigan Press, (p.93).

According to Civale –

“Their mother, lifting her skirts as she ran, was the last of the group; she wore a few jewels and carried with her some other precious objects in a bag, among which was an amber statuette and the family silver: a few pieces of tableware and some mirrors.”

See Vicolo degli Scheletri (p.103-5, figs, 1,2 and 3), of Tales from an eruption, Pompeii, Herculaneum, Oplontis: guide to the exhibition, ed by P.G. Guzzo.

Victim 4. Objects found in association with the fourth victim.

Above: emerald ring, sphere wedge earring, pearl bar earrings, pendant earring (all in gold), and amber statuette.

Below: teaspoons, mirror and silver medallion.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum.

Oggetti rinvenuti in associazione con la quarta vittima.

In alto: anello con smeraldo, orecchino a spicchio di sfera, orecchini a barretta con perle, orecchino con pendente (tutti in oro), e statuetta in ambra.

In basso: cucchiaini, specchio e medaglione in argento.

Ora al Museo Archeologico di Napoli.

Victim 4. Silver medallion found with victim. Fortuna with a cornucopia and a patera in her extended right hand.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 25489.

Victim 4. Amber statuette of a young boy or cupid with a head of curls and wrapped in a cloak.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 25813.

Victim 4. Silver mirror with a border decorated with a series of incised palmettes.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 25716.

VII.1.47 Pompeii. April 2019. Room 8, looking across plaster-cast of victim 4, towards south-west corner, and west wall.

Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

VII.1.47 Pompeii. May 2017.  Plaster-cast of victim 4.

Plaster cast of a female, on display in triclinium 8 but found in the Vicolo degli Scheletri.

Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

Victim number 4. September 2015. Plaster cast of victim on exhibit in temporary pyramid in amphitheatre.

According to Dwyer –

The fourth victim was found in the middle of the vicolo, about twenty-five metres from the other three victims.

She was often described as “the pregnant woman”, but her bunched up clothing could have accounted for the impression.

See Dwyer, E., 2010. Pompeii’s Living Statues. Ann Arbor: Univ of Michigan Press, (p.65-69 and fig. 39).