Final answer:
Archaeological and textual evidence corroborate the effects of the pyroclastic surges on Herculaneum, such as the preservation of organic materials and human remains due to petrification, and detailed insights into the disaster via plaster casts of victims.
Step-by-step explanation:
The effects of the pyroclastic surges on Herculaneum during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79 are confirmed by various archaeological and geological evidence. Unlike the ash that blanketed Pompeii, the pyroclastic flow in Herculaneum caused organic materials to be petrified, preserving human remains and wooden artifacts such as screens, beds, and shelving. Not only were organic materials preserved, but the frescoes, mosaics, and other non-organic materials were also protected until modern excavation efforts uncovered them. The detailed records provided by Pliny the Younger also collaborate with the archaeological findings, giving a first-hand account of the event. Furthermore, the voids left by decomposed bodies were filled with plaster during archaeological work in Pompeii, providing insight into the final moments of the victims.