Pompeii

The site of Pompeii is located in western Italy in the region Campania near the Bay of Naples. With the coast to the west and the Apennine Mountains to the east, Campania is a fertile plain, traversed by two major rivers and blessed with soil, rich in phosphorus and potash. In ancient times, the region's crop yield was six times higher than the average of the rest of the peninsula. Campania was so fertile that some areas had up to three grain crops per year. The region also hosted some of Italy's chief olive groves, and the mountains nourished thousands of sheep.
Though Mt. Vesuvius had once been a very active volcano, it had remained dormant for as long as humans could remember.

Since no legacy of destruction had been passed down from their ancestors, the people living near the mountain didn't realize there was any potential for danger.

The first warning sign came on February 5th, A.D. 62 .. For the next seventeen years Pompeii concentrated on repairing the damages the earthquake had caused, determined to make their town even more splendid than before. Campania was peaceful and prosperous once more, and their maritime trading industry continued to be successful.

Signs of the upcoming eruption began at the beginning of August in A.D. 79. Small tremors shook the ground, but the quakes were so insignificant and caused so little damage that few paid any attention to them. On August 20th, the earth began to rumble and crack, and the usually calm sea gave way to giant waves.

Finally, on the morning of August 24th, 79 A.D. the volcano burst open with an earsplitting crack. Smoke, mud, flames and burning stones spewed from the top of the mountain, sending a rain of ash and rock through the surrounding countryside.

The mud found its way down the sides of Vesuvius, swallowing nearby farms, orchards and villas. Adding to the destruction were the mephitic gasses that accompanied the falling debris; the fumes first caused deliriousness in their victims, then suffocated them.

The unfortunate people who could not escape in time to avoid disaster were killed by falling buildings, overcome by the mephitic gas, or simply buried by the rapidly falling ash. Their bodies were quickly covered by the volcano's mineral deposits.
Pompeii, Herculaneum, and the entire countryside were buried in a layer more than 30 feet thick. The shoreline along the Bay of Naples was extended into the sea by 1500 feet, and the course of the River Sarno was diverted to another direction.

Over the years, the memory of Pompeii and the surrounding cities faded into a vague legend about the lost treasure of la Citta ('the City'). Interest in recovery of the ancient sites did not return until the 14th century, when the Renaissance brought a renewed fascination with all things antique. Based on artifacts discovered by people who lived on the land, scholar humanists hypothesized that the ancient objects they found came from the famous la Citta. Excavations did not occur, however, until the 18th century, when Herculaneum was rediscovered by a peasant digging a well.

Pompeii itself was found during an excavation that began on March 23, 1748.

From that day on, excavations at Pompeii have continued sporadically. One collection known as the Garden of the Fugitives shows thirteen adults and children huddled together, trying to shield themselve from the destructing attack. There are women, arms stretched forward to stop the gas. Others have their mouths open, protecting their children but the ash was too quick. It is terrifying to see the anguish of the victims in their last seconds of life.

Today most of the sites have been uncovered. The city has buildings which were common to many Roman settlements; temples and businesses are viewable, as are various homes, streets, amphitheatre, markets and even a brothel.
But the city is most famous for the frescos that have remained intact. These frescos adorn the walls of many houses and public establishments and give key clues to life in Pompeii with its festivals and routines.

The Brothel is remarkable because it shows how frescos were actually used. Above each room is a mini-fresco which shows the particular speciality of the lady inside. According to the diagrams, every sexual combination was possible. The prostitutes never had a comfortable bed, they were made of stone.

The House of Vetti is the name given to the building of two merchant brothers. We know their names because of the rings that were found with their identity inscribed on the inside of each band. The house is spectacular for several reasons. The first is the atrium which used to collect rain which would water the garden and drip into the heating system. It is perfectly intact at the entrance of the house. The second is the garden. The ash from Vesuvius fell so quickly and settled so rapidly that the flowers in the garden left an impression in the ash. When this was filled in and then examined, botanists were able to determine which flowers were planted.

The piping that is used to water the garden is a testament to the extent of the Roman Empire. The lead used in its construction was plundered from England at the beginning of the Roman occupation. The final feature of note in the house is the painting on the wall on the left as you walk in the house. The picture is a symbol of wealth and shows a Roman god weighing his exceptionally large penis.
Portions of the site remain uncovered, and excavation and research teams are still attempting to reveal this mysterious city's secrets.

The discoveries of Pompeii and Herculaneum reveal much about those ancient people and their ways of life. We can learn many things from the excavation at Pompeii, but perhaps the most important lesson may be that those victims were people just like us. They lived and worked and struggled to care for their families. They expended their energies on those people, things, and animals that were dear to them. Then one day their world fell apart.