The Crushed Pompeii Skeleton meme features an archaeological find from the 2018 excavations in Pompeii, showing a skeleton seemingly pinned by a massive stone block during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. While later analysis suggested the man likely died of asphyxiation before being hit, the initial viral image of a giant rock crushing his head became an instant metaphor for being overwhelmed by sudden, inescapable misfortune. It is widely used to represent situations where external forces, like debt, exams, or sudden responsibilities, unexpectedly crush a person who was just trying to mind their own business. The meme thrives on its dark humor and the visual representation of literal 'bad luck' persisting across two millennia.