Simran Joshi
In a groundbreaking revelation, scientists have reexamined the preserved bodies of “The Two Maidens” found in the ruins of Pompeii, suggesting that the pair, previously believed to be sisters or a mother-daughter duo, may have been gay lovers. The bodies, which were discovered embracing each other in the aftermath of the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius over 2,000 years ago, have captivated researchers and the public alike.
A recent DNA analysis from the Max Planck Institute revealed that one of the individuals, or possibly both, were male, challenging previous assumptions about their identities and relationships. While the true nature of their bond remains speculative, experts have not ruled out the possibility of a romantic connection, sparking new discussions about ancient relationships and gender dynamics.
New DNA Analysis Challenges Old Assumptions
Recently, researchers from the Max Planck Institute have conducted DNA analysis that challenged a previously held belief: the two maidens in his story were actually sisters and/or mother and daughter. In fact, one of the victims was once believed to be a female was genetically determined to be male.
As a result, it led specialists in the field to reassess the nature of their relationship altogether, and some even went so far as to wonder whether they could be lovers – a prospect to which the Pompeii archaeological site’s Superintendent, Massimo Osanna, said he could not categorically exclude.
Despite the nature of their relationship yet to be a speculation, this finding works against the ancient conventional thought regarding family relationships. “Such a discovery goes against the traditional view of gender and family units of earlier people of Pompeii,” according to one of the authors of the study, David Reich. Opening up a whole new potential avenue of interpretation, the true nature of their relationship might never be fully proven.
A Love or a Tragedy: Theories and Hypotheses
The tragic discovery of embracing each other in their last moments has triggered speculations about their relationship. Initially, people believed they might be two sisters or even a mother and daughter caught in a bad fate, but recent reports revealing that one of them was genetically male add another unfortunate twist in the story. This is a fascinating development, which lends credence to the theory that perhaps they could have been gay lovers, as some experts have hypothesized.
Even though there is much debate, the facts about their relationship remain unknown to date. The current chief of examination, in 2017, Professor Stefano Vanacore, stressed that the emotional connection between the two could not be ascertained, since it remains impossible to prove definitely if they really had a relationship. Nonetheless, the findings drawn from this new discovery show so much complexity about gender and social relationships in ancient times.
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