Last year I read an NPR article about new DNA evidence of the victims of Pompeii. Over the years certain assumptions had been made about the victims based on their proximity to one another, their jewelry, etc. The DNA now proves those assumptions to be false. For example, a pair of bodies thought to be a mother and her child were actually a man and a biologically unrelated child. Not only is this interesting, just because Pompeii itself is fascinating, but it’s a lesson in not jumping to conclusions. Notable quote from the article:
Instead of establishing new narratives that might also misrepresent these people’s experiences, the genetic results encourage reflection on the dangers of making up stories about gender and family relationships in past societies based on present-day expectations.
David Reich, Harvard genetics professor