During an excavation at Pompeii, a worker discovers the stone-encrusted body of a Roman dating back to the eruption of Mount Vesuvius and the destruction of the city. An American doctor, Paul Mallon, agrees to assist the curator of the museum in researching the origin of the find. Unbeknownst to them however, the creature still has life in it and takes a particular liking to Tina Enright, whose dreams foretell the creatures desires. Along the way, the creature manages to kill anyone that may get in its way.