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| Pompeii with Vesuvius in background |
In 79 AD Mount Vesuvius erupted, instantly killing
the citizens of Pompeii and burying the city in upwards of twenty feet of ash
and pumice. The city was soon forgotten until it was rediscovered by accident
in 1599 during the digging of an underground channel but was soon forgotten
again. In 1748 it was rediscovered, and excavation began in earnest. However,
many of the discoveries were reburied due to archeological censorship because the
Romans of 79 AD were far more sexually liberated than eighteenth century
Europeans.
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| Statuary and household items found during excavation |
Due to the lack of air and moisture, the city and
most of its artifacts were almost completely intact when discovered. Pompeii is
one of few sites where an ancient city has been so well preserved. Life was literally
frozen in time on that fateful day. Plaster was used to fill the areas between
the ash layers to make casts of the exact positions of the citizens at the
moment of their death.
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| A street in Pompeii |
As you walk the streets of Pompeii, you see
incredible details—bars and bakeries, bathhouses, streets with tracks for
carriages to provide smooth rides. There’s even a house with a mosaic plaque
warning visitors to “Cave Canem” or “Beware of the Dog.”
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| Altar inside a private home |
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| Frescoed walls in private home |
Frescoes still adorn
interior walls of homes and bathhouses. Street signs discretely direct men to
the Lupanar, the ancient brothel adorned with pornographic frescoes.
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| Bathhouse |
Pompeii has been a tourist destination for over 250
years and is still not fully excavated. It’s a must-see for anyone traveling to
Italy.
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