Cast of a dog Cast of a dog that died as a result of the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. You can see a bronze studded collar. Archaeologists believe the dog was chained outside the House of Vesonius Primus, a Pompeian fuller.
Analysis: This detail shows that the ancient romans had pets. Dogs were particularly common, dogs occupied buildings around the forum at times. The dog in this cast is chained up so could not run away and survive the eruption. It looks like it is in pain and trying to get away from the lava.
Conclusions: The cast shows the shape of the victims in their final moments trying to filter the noxious fumes of the eruption. The dog was chained to a post and struggled for hours before finally succumbing to the ash. The dogs of Ancient Pompeii were pets and guard dogs. They were also protected by law from ill treatment.
This eruption shows people didn't have enough time to let their pets free to try and escape from the volcanic eruption so it must have been sudden. It shows the eruption is significant as it shows people had pets at this time.