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The temperature of the pyroclastic flows that buried Herculaneum and Pompeii was several hundreds of degrees Celsius, hot enough to easily burn and destroy soft tissue.

The rest of the skeleton, other than the tibia, which was partly vitrified and generally preserved, was “completely charred and burst from being subjected to the intense heat of the pyroclastic ash surge, a high-speed turbulent cloud rich in hot gases, ash and steam,” as Petrone eloquently described it.

The last mortal remains of his fellow residents of Herculaneum were found mostly where they fell, several hundred crowded onto the beach and in beach-front chambers, presumably in hopes of escaping the pyroclastic currents that soon engulfed them, preserving them and the details of their life 2,000 years ago: papyrus scrolls, bread, olives, bronze pitchers, furniture, fresh and dried fruit — all under an avalanche of volcanic deposits.

Only later, perhaps after some hours had passed, were the town and the bodies of all of its inhabitants buried by the hot pyroclastic flow deposits, more physically destructive but not as hot as that quick and deadly cloud of ash.

A fast-moving current of hot gas and volcanic matter, also called a pyroclastic flow, followed, burying the area.