Top 10 Greatest Firearms in History

Top 10 Greatest Firearms in History

While I am not a gun owner, I still find it interesting that guns remain today the most common weapon used by military and civilians alike. During their long history, no one has come up with a suitable and as-popular alternative (such as a ray gun). This list looks at ten of the greatest firearms in history – and in the bonus section poses a question.

10
MG-42

Mjk Mg42 3

“Hitler’s Buzzsaw,” invented in 1942, is infamous around the world as the weapon used at Omaha Beach to mow Americans down, but it was used in Russia to much more brutal effect. It fired 1,200 rounds of 8mm rifle ammunition per minute, which is sufficient to cut a man in half. It was air-cooled, and could melt its barrel if fired non-stop for 5 minutes.

That’s why the Germans had several barrel at hand, and could change to a new one in only 60 seconds.

9
Glock Handgun

Glock-17-03

The Glock is the ultimate in modern reliability. You can pour sand down the barrel and it will shoot. It will shoot underwater. It is commonly used in 9mm, but is chambered for .40 Sig and .45 ACP among others. It is the standard law enforcement sidearm today and will continue to be for a long time. It almost never jams, is waterproof, mostly plastic.

8
.303 Lee-Enfield

303Load

The British equivalent of the German Mauser has one trump on it, a 10 round magazine, compared to 8. The British adopted it into the army in 1895 and used it exclusively until 1957. Soldiers were drilled until they could perform “the mad minute,” firing 30 rounds in 60 seconds and hitting 30 targets. This required reloading twice, and working the bolt back and forth in less than half a second.

The rifle is accurate to 1,000 yards with open sights, and served in India (notoriously used against unarmed civilians), the Boer War, both World Wars, and many others.

7
.50 M2HB “Ma Deuce” BMG

158 5857 Img

The Browning Machine Gun is chambered for the most awe-inspiring shoulder-fired cartridge to date. It is designed with one thing in mind: power tends to corrupt; absolute power is kinda sweet. The 800 grain powder load has 14,895 foot-pounds of energy at the muzzle, which is enough to put a full metal jacketed round through three approaching vehicles. It has shot down helicopters with one round.

Now imagine a belt-fed machine gun spewing a curtain of these rounds at you at 1,200 rounds per minute. Special Sabot rounds can go clean through tanks.

6
Smith and Wesson Model 29 .44 Magnum Revolver

S&W Model 29 Combat 44 Magnum 3

Made famous by Dirty Harry in 1971, it was invented in 1955, and is still thought of as one of the most powerful handguns in the world, though it has been eclipsed by the .500 magnum, the Desert Eagle .50 AE, the .454 Casull and a few others.

But what those other hand cannons lack is controlability and comparatively low cost. The .44 Magnum will still run you at least $800 new, which is a lot for a revolver, but very cheap compared to other magnums. You will not break your wrist shooting it, and yet it can drop Cape Buffaloes and Polar Bears. If I may be afforded one bad joke, it will make your day. Provided that you feel lucky. Punk.

5
The Mauser Model 1893 Bolt Action Rifle

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The bolt action had been kicking around since at least 1824, when Paul Mauser and Co. patented the 1893 version in 7mm. It has become the benchmark, on which all bolt action rifles are based, and against which all are compared. There are three primary bolt action systems: the Lee-Enfield, the Mauser, and the Mosin-Nagant.

Of the three, the Mauser system is by far the most widespread, the most reliable, and the most battle-proven rifle mechanism the world has ever seen. The 1893 Mauser was the first, and original models still operate perfectly.

4
Colt Single Action Army Revolver

Colt Model 1873 Single Action Army Cavalry Revolver 44

The icon of the Old West, the Colt .45 revolver was invented in 1873 and immediately caught on as extraordinarily accurate at close range, compared to the ball and cap conversions popular at the time. Its caliber was sufficient to flip a charging man backward off his feet. It can be used today to hunt deer and black bears. The larger powder loads can take down grizzly bears.

It’s as famous as the gun of Wyatt Earp, among other Old West celebrities.

3
Henry Repeating Rifle

Henry-Rifle

The granddaddy of all lever-action firearms. Benjamin Tyler Henry invented it in 1860, but neither the Union nor Confederacy wanted much to do with it, as they were afraid their soldiers would fire too quickly and waste ammunition. If I may use a cliched joke, “military intelligence.” Thank you.

It fired a revolutionary, self-contained cartridge in .44 caliber, with 568 foot-pounds of stopping power, more than enough to put a man down. It held 16 rounds in a tube magazine, and a good man could fire 28 rounds per minute, so much better than 3 per minute with a muzzle-loading percussion cap musket, that if either side had adopted the rifle as standard for infantry, that side would certainly have won.

2
AK-47

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Accurate enough to do the job out to about 400 yards, which is all anyone usually needs in a battle, the AK-47 is the ultimate pinnacle in rugged reliability. It will not break down under fire unless something catastrophic happens to it. You can drive a tank over it, throw it against a wall, submerge it in sand, water, mud, and every time it will go right on firing when you pull the trigger.

I know a Vietnam veteran who was walking through triple canopy jungle one day in 1966, came across an abandoned AK-47, and couldn’t get the bolt to slide back. It was too corroded from the rain and weather. The wood was rotting off. But he put it butt first on the ground, stomped the action open, and it chambered a round, which he fired accurately at a tree 50 yards away. He stomped the action open again, and it chambered another round, which he fired accurately.

1
Colt 1911 .45 ACP

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Every bit as rugged and reliable as the AK-47, this handgun was invented by John Browning for the Colt Company, in 1911, as a sidearm for American soldiers. It immediately proved itself a world beater in WWI, again in WWII, and has been a cornerstone of the American military ever since.

But its most impressive feat has been the ease with which even untrained civilians can fire it accurately, keep it in working order, and defend themselves ably with it. 7 + 1 rounds of fat, man-stopping power perfect for close-range self-defense. Soldiers have dragged it through swamps in the Pacific Theater of WWII, with their fingers on the trigger, then whipped it out of the muck and fired all 8 rounds accurately.

Top 10 Richest Men in the World [2011]

Top 10 Richest Men in the World [2011]

No matter what the economic situation is, the rich is getting richer and poor is getting poorer and a recent study by Jeffery Thompson and Elias Leight shows that rich getting richer makes poor poorer. Same has happened with the wealth of these richest men in the world, nine out of ten richest men in the world have gained their wealth compared to last year. The only person who saw a decrease is Indian business tycoon Mukesh Ambani. Here are the ten richest men of the world in 2011.

1) Carlos Slim Helu

Net Worth: $74 Billion

The richest person in the world is Mexico based Carlos Slim Helu with as estimated wealth of $74 Billion. Carlos Slim is CEO and Chairman of América Móvil which account most of his wealth, around $49 Billion. He is also the chairman and CEO of Group Carso, the conglomerate having many companies. He was born in Mexico to Julian Slim (Yusef Salim), a Lebanese Christian in 1940. Slim holds an engineering degree from National Autonomous University of Mexico, interestingly he also taught algebra and linear programming at the same university. wall street in one of their article have mentioned that an average Mexican can’t help but have to deal with a business owned by this 71-year tycoon as his businesses range from telecommunications, banking, hotels, mining, construction and railways, bicycles, airlines to cigarettes, soft-drinks. He is a widower with six children.

2) Bill Gates

Net Worth: $56 Billion

Bill Gates, the former Chairman of Microsoft is the second richest man in the world with an estimated wealth of $56 Billion. He held different positions at Microsoft including Chairman, CEO, chief software architect and is also the largest individual shareholder in Microsoft with more than 8% of the common stock. He remained the richest person in the world for 13 years in a row from 1995 to 2007 and then for another year in 2009. The self-made billionaire is known as Harvard’s most successful dropout. Mr.Gates who will turn 56 next month is now busy working for the Gates foundation, the largest private foundation in the world. He is married with Melinda Gates and has three children.

3) Warren Buffet

Net Worth: $50 Billion

With an estimated wealth of $50 Billion, the 81-year old Warren Buffet who is an American business tycoon, investor and philanthropist is the third richest man in the world. Warren Buffet is the Chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, the American conglomerate holding company which is the eighth largest public company in the world and owns many big companies including investments in American Express Company, BYD, The Coca-Cola Company and Kraft Foods. He holds a Master of Science degree in Economics from Columbia Business School and is a self-made billionaire. He has been married twice and has three children.

4) Bernard Arnault

Net Worth: $41 Billion

The fourth richest man in the world is the French businessman Bernard Arnault with an estimated wealth of $41 Billion. He is the CEO and Chairman of LVMH, the French multinational luxury goods conglomerate that owns more than 60 famous brands and subsidiaries including Louis Vuitton, Moët et Chandon , Sephora, TAG Heuer and Fendi. He is also the Chairman of Christian Dior. Bernerd Arnault who holds a degree in engineering is currently the richest person in Europe. The 62-year old has been married twice and has five children.

5) Larry Ellison

Net Worth: $39.5 Billion

Larry Ellison, the 66-year old CEO and Co-founder fo Oracle Corporation has an estimated wealth of $39.5 Billion making him the fifth richest man in the world. Oracle is a computer technology corporation that is famous for developing enterprise software products, database management systems in particular. Ellison did not take the final exams and left University of Illinois during second year after the death of his adoptive mother. He also attended University of Chicago for a term where encountered with the computer design for the first time. Ellison who is a self made billionaire has been married and divorced four times.

6) Lakshmi Mittaldfd

Net Worth: $31.1 Billion

Lakshmi Mittal, the steel tycoon from India based in United Kingdom is the sixth richest man in the world with an estimated wealth of $31.1 Billion. He is the chairman and CEO of ArcelorMittal, the largest steel producing company in the world headquartered in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg. Mr. Mittal who also serves as Director at Goldman Sachs was named Person of the Year by Financial Times in 2007. He started the business as international division of his family business but later branched out of it and started working independently. The 60-year old is a graduate of St.Xavier’s College, Calcutta and is married with two children.

7) Amancio Ortega

Net Worth: $31 Billion

The seventh richest man in the world with an estimated wealth of $31 Billion is Spain based Amancio Ortega. He is co-founder, chairman and holds 59.29% shares of the Inditex Group, a company that owns brands like Zara, Massimo Dutti, Stradivarius, Pull and Bear, Bershka and more. Amancio Ortega is a self-made billionaire who is known for keeping a very low profile. He currently lives with his second wife and has three children. Mr.Ortega who did not have any formal higher education takes a very active part in the production and designing process of his company.

8) Eike Batista

Net Worth: $30 Billion

Eike Batista, the CEO of EBX Group has an estimated wealth of $30 Billion which makes him the eighth richest man in the world. EBX Group is a holding company in Brazil which operates many subsidiary companies in different business sectors, mainly in mining and oil. He is son of Eliezer Batista da Silva who remained head of a mining company Vale for a very long time. Eike Batista who is a self-made Billionaire is a dropout from RWTH Aachen University. He remained married with the famous Brazilian actress Luma de Oliveira for about thirteen years before getting divorce in 2004. The 54-year old has expressed his desire of becoming the richest person in different media interactions.

9) Mukesh Ambani

Net Worth: $27 Billion

Mukesh Ambani, the famous 53-year old Indian business tycoon is the ninth richest man in the world. Mukesh Amabni who is Managing Director and Chairman of Reliance Industries, the largest private sector enterprise in India has an estimated personal wealth of $27 Billion. He dropped out of Stanford (MBA) to help his father Dhirubhai Ambani, the late founder of Reliance Industries in 1981. Mukesh Ambani became the richest person in the world in 2007 in result of a strong rally of Indian Stock Markets. He is currently the second richest person in Asia.

10) Li Ka-shing

Net Worth: $26 Billion

The tenth richest man in the world is Hong Kong based Li Ka-shing with an estimated wealth of $26 Billion. The 83-year old is a self-made businessman and is the chairman of Cheung Kong Holdings, Hutchison Whampoa and Li Ka Shing Foundation. Mr.Li who is a high school dropout was named Asia’s Most Powerful Man in 2001 by Asiaweek. He is also known for his philanthropy and has donated $1.41 Billion till date.

Top 10 Legendary Small People

Top 10 Legendary Small People

Just because they’re lesser in height, it doesn’t mean they’re lesser known. From minuscule movie stars to petite pop stars, here’s a list of famous short people through history.

10. Edward Carl Gaedel

edward-carl-gaedel

Standing at 3”7, Eddie was the world’s shortest pro-baseball player – albeit briefly. Born in Chicago in 1925, “Eddie” aspired to be a sportsman, and managed to secure his debut with the St. Louis Browns in the summer of 1951. Despite being a publicity stunt, his appearance on the plate lead to 18,369 fans giving him a standing ovation. Unfortunately, Gaedel became a heavy drinker and died of a heart attack after being mugged in 1961.

9. Bridget the Midget

bridget-midget

Twenty-eight-year old Bridget – born Cheryl Marie Murphy – claims her fame in a slightly more risque industry to our other legendary small people. Idaho-born Bridget is an erotic film actress with a difference – she’s just 3”9. She’s now retired from “adult” acting after appearing in over 100 films, and these days favors more traditional acting roles, including a bit part in 8mm.

8. Danny Woodburn

danny-woodburn

This 44-year old actor from Philadelphia stands at a mini four foot. However, his height never held back his acting career, and he’s managed to avoid getting pigeonholed in typical “little people” roles either. The star has had parts in Seinfeld, One Tree Hill and CSI, and features in the forthcoming film, Watchmen.

7. Gary Coleman

gary-coleman

Gary is most famous for his role as Arnold Jackson in Diff’rent Strokes. The 4”8 actor has since had a few cameos and bit parts on TV series and in films, but is predominantly more famous for his eventful personal life. Such dramas include his televised appearance in a divorce court, a car accident, an assault, and ongoing financial problems.

6. Dolly Parton

dolly-parton

Diminutive Dolly may have a big – er – heart, but her height is just five foot. The 62-year old (yes, 62!) became famous for such country ditties as “Jolene” and “I will Always Love You”, and is still singing and song-writing to this day. She is also recognized as a philanthropist, is an accomplished player of the autoharp, banjo, drums, guitar, harmonica and piano, and lest we forget, has her own theme park, Dollywood.

5. General Tom Thumb

general-tom-thumb

The original famous small person – Charles Sherwood Stratton, adopted the stage name of General Tom Thumb after the fabled English legend, who was no bigger than his father’s thumb. The real life version was born in Connecticut, weighing 9 pounds 2 ounces, but only grew to 2”9. He was snapped up by the traveling circus showman P. T. Barnum, and toured the world, becoming stinking rich and meeting his wife – another small person – on the way. He died of a stroke aged 45 in 1883, and over 10,000 friends, fans and family attended his funeral.

4. Wee Man

wee-man

This Jackass star, whose real name is Jason Bryant Acuña, is just over four foot tall. He was born in Pisa, Italy, to Italian parents, but grew up in Torrance, California. He worked as a subscription manager for a skateboarding magazine after graduating, which saw him become involved with the stunt-crazed Jackass gang. Acuña now does occasional presenting gigs and has appeared on the reality shows Armed and Dangerous and Celebrity Circus.

3. Prince

prince

Prince Rogers Nelson, aka His Purple Majesty, aka The Artist Formerly Known As Prince, or sometimes, just a symbol, is only 5”2. The womanizing extrovert, who has had hits with ‘Purple Rain’, ‘When Doves Cry’ and ‘Beautiful Girl’, is now back in the studio recording his next long-awaited album.

2. Danny Devito

Danny Devito

This huge movie star stands at just 4”11 tall. He was born in Neptune, New Jersey, to a middle class family, and decided to go into acting at an early age. After getting his big break in Taxi, Devito went on to star in blockbusters such as Other People’s Money, LA Confidential, Batman and Heist. He continues to act, but also branched into producing, with films such as Pulp Fiction and Erin Brockovich under his belt.

1. Verne Troyer

verne troyer

This 40-year old actor, famous for playing Mini-Me in Austin Powers, is now just as famous for his private antics as his professional. The self-confessed sex addict was the latest celebrity to fall foul of a sex tape scandal, after private moments between him and his former girlfriend, Ranae Shrider, were leaked. He is no stranger to reality TV however, and is currently doing a stint on Celebrity Big Brother UK, where he has been seen getting sozzled on Champagne, flirting with the ladies, and causing havoc on his mobility scooter.

Top 10 Lost Cities In World

10. Pavlopetri Greece
Whenever ‘lost cities’ are discussed Atlantis springs to mind. While there is no strong evidence that Atlantis existed outside of an allegorical tale by Plato many cities have suffered the supposed fate of Atlantis – being swallowed by the sea. Pavlopetri was a town of pre-Classical Greece that was settled in the Stone Age and persisted until ~1000 BC. That the site was submerged has given archaeologists a unique insight into life at the time. Other sites have been built over, or plundered for building material, or ploughed over by farmers, but Pavlopetri is uncontaminated. The town was likely submerged by rising sea levels and subsidence of the ground caused by earthquakes. Since sea levels have fluctuated widely over the course of human existence it is entirely likely that other such sites exist in the world’s oceans awaiting discovery.
9. Cliff palace Colorado
The Pueblo people, the Native Americans of the US southwest, are named for the villages (Pueblos) they construct. While there are still vibrant pueblo communities today, the Anasazi, an ancient pueblo society, flourished between 900 and 1200 AD. ‘Cliff Palace’ was constructed in this Golden age of the Anasazi; dendrochronology dates most of the buildings at the site to ~1200 AD. Occupation of the site was short lived and it was abandoned by 1300 AD. It remained undiscovered in the desert until 1888. While out looking for stray cattle Richard Wetherill, Charles Mason, and an Ute tribesman called Acowitz found the site nestled under a cliff wall. Their accidental discovery turned out to be the largest cliff dwelling in North America. ‘Cliff Palace’ is actually a misnomer as the site is more like a village than what we would understand as a palace. While the reason for the site’s abandonment is not certain the widely accepted theory is that the first of the great droughts, that has been linked to the collapse of the Anasazi golden age, disrupted farming throughout the region.
8. Akrotiri Santorini
The Minoan civilization of Crete is named for the mythical king Minos, builder of the labyrinth. There is scant written material left from the Minoans so we do not know what they called themselves. The entire civilization was largely forgotten until the turn of the 20th century. With the discovery of the great palace at Knossos the glories of the Minoans were rediscovered. Instead of the well known Knossos I have included a Minoan outpost, Akrotiri on the island of Santorini. Santorini, or Thera, is the home of the Thera volcano. It is now thought that the explosion of Thera around 1600 BC, one of the largest eruptions in recorded history, brought about the collapse of the Minoan empire. The discovery of Akrotiri in 1967 brought to light exceptionally well preserved frescos, homes up to three stories high, and a complex planned settlement. The water supply system suggests the people of Akrotiri had access to running hot and cold water, with the hot water provided by the very volcano which would destroy them.
7. Tikal Guatemala
The Mayan city of Tikal was once the capital city of a Mayan kingdom and a major city of the New World. The site was occupied from ~200-900 AD. Thanks to the almost perfect preservation of the city much is known about the grandeur of Tikal at its height as well as the powerful kings who ruled there. While the site is sometimes like other New World ruins listed as ‘mysteriously’ abandoned, research is showing that the land could not support the large number of people congregating in the city. Abandonment occurred over a number of years and the city was left for the jungles to grow over. It seems however, that some locals knew of its existence during those years for rumors of a lost city in the area persisted. The first organized expedition found the city in 1848. What they found was one of the largest surviving New World archaeological sites. There are pyramids up to 70m high, royal palaces, monumental stele and a playing arena for the Mayan ball game.
6. Timgad Algeria
Timgad, or Colonia Marciana Ulpia Traiana Thamugadi to Latinists, is the archetypal lost city from adventure stories. Once a vibrant city founded in the desert on the orders of the emperor Trajan it survived the upheavals of the empire and grew to a large trading city. After being sacked in the 5th century it was reborn as a center of Christian life. A second major sacking in the 7th century by Vandals led to the complete abandonment of the city. That is when the sands of the Sahara covered the site and preserved the city until its rediscovery in 1881. Now the ruins of the city give a brilliant insight into Roman cities of the African provinces. The streets follow a perfect grid, as you would expect from a city built to order. Today at the site you can see the arch of Trajan, the baths and the temple of Jupiter. The temple is as large as that of the pantheon in Rome, showing the importance of the city. A graffito in the forum reads “To hunt, bathe, play games and laugh. This is life.
5. Machu Picchu Peru
No list of lost cities is complete without Machu Picchu. This old Inca city sits on a peak in the Andes. It was only inhabited for a short period of time, likely 1450-1572 AD, before being abandoned as a result of the Spanish conquest of South America. Since Spaniards never found the city, and locals did not reveal its location, Machu Picchu only came to the attention of the West in the early 20th century. Debate still exists as to whether Machu Picchu was a regular settlement, a Royal retreat, or a religious sanctuary. To reach the site itself is now incredibly easy, with regular buses and trains. This has led to worries about the sustainability of large numbers of visitors there. However, given the wonderful views and the ruins themselves it is easy to see why people flock to Machu Picchu.
4. Mohenjo-daro Pakistan
Along with the Egyptian and Mesopotamian civilizations the Indus Valley civilization is considered one of the world’s earliest. The Indus Valley civilization reached its peak approximately 2000 BC, though was considerably older. Science, writing, trade, crafts, religion, and agriculture all progressed remarkably. The advanced nature of this civilization can be seen at Mohenjo-daro with its ordered streets and drainage system. Unlike other sites on this list there is no obvious palace or temple complex. This has led some to consider the Indus Valley civilization as egalitarian, however we know very little of the people who lived at Mohenjo-daro so such a statement is bold. Flooding of the Indus appears to have destroyed the city at least six times and new cities were built directly on top of the ruins of the previous ones. What caused the final abandonment is not clear but occurred around ~1800 BC and Mohenjo-dar was only rediscovered in 1922.
3. Petra Jordan
The inclusion of Petra may prove controversial as one can question whether it was really lost. It was certainly abandoned, but may have been very well known to locals. At any rate it was lost from Western knowledge for at least a thousand years. The ancient precursor of Listverse, Pliny the Elder, mentions Petra and it was taken into Roman rule in 103 AD. The city in the desert flourished until an earthquake destroyed the vital water system. With other cities available it seems it was easier to just abandon the site than rebuild. From then the site was left to the desert, attracting only curious travelers and grave robbers. Now it is one of the great archaeological sites in the Middle East. The city is half built and half carved from the red rocks of the hills it inhabits. The architecture is a fusion of Roman, Greek and native Nabataean. Really, no small text here can do credit to the remains of this city.
2. Troy Turkey
Sing, O Muse, the anger of Achilles son of Peleus…” So begins the Iliad of Homer, the foundational text of western literature. For all the importance placed in the Iliad it was for a long time thought that Troy was as mythical as Atlantis. Then in 1871 a self-taught classicist, Heinrich Schliemann, funded a dig at a mound in Hissarlik. There – where in ancient time a city called Ilium (named for the Iliad) had stood – they found huge defensive walls of the type described by Homer. As well as the walls of Troy, Schliemann discovered golden jewelry which he displayed as the jewels of Helen. This treasure was once thought lost after the Second World War but was in fact looted by the Soviets and can be found in the Pushkin museum. Modern excavations of the site have revealed the city to be large – large enough to be the basis of the ancient legend. They have also discovered the city was founded in around 3000 BC and destroyed multiple times. Each new city was built on the ruins of the last. There is a lively debate as to which of these layers might relate to the city besieged by the Greeks. Interestingly the mighty walls of the city would have far outstripped any siege weaponry available to the attackers at the time and therefore any siege would be protracted. This is just what the Iliad describes and explains the need for the trickery of the Trojan Horse.
1. Pompeii and Herculaneum Italy
There were some so afraid of death that they prayed to die.” So write Pliny the Younger of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. His uncle, the great elder Pliny, had taken the Roman fleet across the bay of Naples to rescue those people trapped at the foot of the volcano. The expedition would cost the elder Pliny his life as the towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum were smothered in ash. The ash, which destroyed so many lives, perfectly preserved the two towns for 1700 years. While we often think of the ancient Romans as inhabiting a flawless world of white marble Pompeii reveals a real town with many features we would recognize today. Political slogans are daubed on walls; “Vote for Lucius Popidius Sabinus!” There is also fruitier graffiti on toilet walls. A mural shows a riot that occurred around the cities amphitheater. The city has been a gold mine for archeologists and is a major tourist site. Unlike the other cities here you can still see some of the inhabitants. Dotted throughout the ruins are the ghostly, and in many cases ghastly, plaster casts of the dead whose bodies left hollows in the ash.