At one point in time Pompeii was an important Roman city, but hundreds of years after its creation, the city was left virtually frozen in time by an eruption from the formidable Mt. Vesuvius. Buried under layers of ash that quickly preserved the city intact, it is today one of the most significant elements of evidence from Ancient Roman civilization. Here are 10 interesting facts about the most viewed archaeological site in the world.
A Vast Site
So much of Pompeii has been excavated that it is now the world’s largest archaeological site. Spanning over 150 acres, the goal for Pompeii is to now conserve the ruins rather than excavating more.
Unlikely Graffitti
One of the more scandalous discoveries to be uncovered at the site is the display of graffiti found scrawled on the walls and floors at the city. Some are even quite racy!
An Active Volcano
In a twisted way, Pompeii owes its timeless fame to Mt. Vesuvius. An eruption is not out of the picture today however, as the volcano is still active and overdue to erupt.
Population Decrease
The initial blast on that fateful day saw 13% of the population being killed. Those who managed to survive the first day and stayed to look for friends and relatives on the second day didn’t survive the incoming blast which included poisonous gases that were expelled that day by the ash.
1748- Excavations Begins
In 1748, workers in the area stumble across the remains while digging. Thus beginning the excavation by Carlo of Borbone. Most of the site was first excavated in the 1700’s meaning that all the important artefacts have most likely already been found.
Ancient Origins
With the excavations of Pompeii came the discovery of their amphitheater. What makes this stadium special is that it holds the title of being the world’s oldest amphitheater. Its origins date back to 80 BC and set the precedent for all amphitheatres built after it.
Fateful Day
In a cruel ironic twist of nature, the usual winds that blew over the Bay of Naples moved in the opposite direction on the day of the eruption. This led the volcanic ash straight to the city, however if it had been any other day, the destruction could have been lessened drastically.
Hotel Pompeii
The city of Pompeii was a holidaying area for the wealthy, a resort style city which is evident by some of its villas, the largest of which was the length of an entire city block. Emperor’s made sure to give the poorer citizens enough booze and entertainment in the form of gladiator battle to distract them from the discrepancies between themselves and their wealthy counterparts.
Frozen in time
More than 100 plaster casts in total were made at Pompeii, with 13 displayed at Pompeii in the Garden of Fugitives. This area is important as it is the location where the most bodies were found in one spot. The plaster casts were created to inject a human element back into the abandoned city.
Captivated Audience
Though the site has been open to the public for quite a while, 2.5 million visitors still flock to the historical ruins every year to walk through the city. This has made the job of archaeologists more difficult as the walkways and ruins are under constant pressure due to its exposure.
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