Pompeii Casts. Calco A, known as "The sickly child“, found in front of VIII.5.39, the Casa di Acceptus ed Euhodia.

The cast was destroyed in the bombing of 1943.

Calco A, described as “The Emaciated Child”, photographed by Giorgio Sommer in 1882. Photo courtesy of Eugene Dwyer.

Found in the Vicolo delle Pareti Rosse in front of VIII.5.39, the Casa di Acceptus ed Euhodia.

Plaster-cast of a boy found on 24th January 1882, around 12 feet (4 metres) above the ancient ground level.

Also found nearby was a skeleton of a woman, but only her arm was successfully cast.

On her arm were two gold bracelets, and on her hand were two gold rings.

It is conjectured that she was his mother, and that he was infirm and being helped from an upper window when the surge hit Pompeii. 

See Dwyer, E., 2010. Pompeii’s Living Statues. University of Michigan Press, pp. 98 to 103: the emaciated child, the eleventh victim.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1882, p.280: See BdI. 1884, pp. 126 sgg.

The cast was defined by the discoverers as “bambino infermo” [sickly child] because of the thinness and frailty of the little body.

A child aged between 6 to 12 years old, in the opinion of the discoverers.

Although referred to by the excavators as “fanciullo”, the sex is not definable.

The cast was destroyed in the bombing of 1943.

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. 544, Calco A.

Calco A. Little Boy, from Illustrated London News, 80, no. 2236 (11 March 1883), p.228.

According to Mau-

“In this street was found at a height of four metres above the pavement the skeletons of a woman and a boy.

That of the boy was cast in gesso and appeared to be about twelve years of age, and of a sickly aspect.

Together with these were found two bracelets and two rings of gold.

Of these last, one had a cornucopia incised in an emerald and the other a seated Mercury in amethyst.

Also found were a small measuring cup, a sewing needle, and a coin, all of bronze.”

See Overbeck J., 1884. Pompeji in seinen Gebäuden, Alterthümen und Kunstwerken. Leipzig: Engelmann, p. 127.

Although referred to as a boy, the sex is not definable.

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. 544, Calco A.

Calco A. Impronto fanciullo. Cast of a young child. From an album dated c.1875-1885. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.