The Results Of Archaeological Excavations In Pompeii
Pompeii is a large Roman town based in the Italian region of Campania It is home to 25,000 people and located 25km from Mount Vesuvius. In AD 79 Mount Vesuvius erupted, sending ash and pumice rock into the sky for 18 hours straight. In the first few stages of the eruption 20,00 people fled Pompeii as their roofs began collapsing due to the sustained weight of the falling rock. The unlucky 2,000 who stayed put did not have a chance when Mount Vesuvius buried the city of Pompeii in ash. Pompeii has become a popular tourist destination because it is known as the ‘city frozen in time’. The blanket of ash acted as a time capsule preserving the life in Pompeii at the time of the eruption. For centuries archaeologists have excavated the city, uncovering facts about the lives of the Pompeiians, revealing evidence of the last few hours of the town.
Evidence of the lives of women in Pompeii are documented in paintings, frescoes and jewellery. These artefacts provide insight into women from all different levels of society in Pompeii. The majority of women during ancient Rome were illiterate, but if one was educated, she would gain respect and hold a higher status.
This fresco known as ‘the baker Terentius Neo and his wife’ was found in the atrium, an entrance hall in a Roman house in Pompeii. It was believed to be painted during the 1st century AD. The woman appears to be holding a stylus and a writing tablet. This is significant as it displays the couple as being equals, and the unique perspective on the role of women in ancient Rome. Women in Roman society had few rights and were considered property of males, but this fresco shows that women had more flexible freedom and were given the same opportunities as men.
Jewellery was highly important to the people of Pompeii as it was worth a large amount of money. Those who owned jewellery were ranked higher in status because it was indicated that they were wealthy because they could afford it.
Archaeologists uncovered a gold bracelet made in the form of a snake. Inscribed on the inside were the words ‘Dominus ancillae suae’. This translates ‘from the master (dominus) to his slave girl (ancilla)’ who became his lover. It was found on the remains of a man and woman who were trying to escape a hotel whilst Mount Vesuvius erupted. Archaeologists who found the artefact believed that the idea of a master gifting his female slave was an entirely new concept in ancient Rome as it reveals that there were slaves who were favoured by their owners but couldn’t be free. This bracelet represented a social step for the status of slaves, meaning slaves had gained an upward movement in the social hierarchy.
Recently, archaeologists uncovered a room that was believed to be an ancient lararium, a shrine dedicated to the spirits that protected Roman houses. The room is covered in well-preserved frescoes and is said to be the largest lararium found to date. Archaeologists believe it is an ‘enchanted garden’. It contains an altar, garden and a raised pool. Director archaeologist Massimo Osanna stated that every house in Pompeii would have some sort of lararium, but this specific one seems to be owned by the wealthy. The room was designed with such complex decoration and styling, and having your own pool was an indication of wealth. These 2 golden serpents are sitting before a plate of food. The Parco Archaeologico di Pompeii said that these two large serpents were “good daemons” that symbolise prosperity and good luck. The belief of the serpents symbolising good luck with no cost was praised by the poor during ancient Rome because they owned nothing.
Archaeologists are looking for methods to help preserve the city of Pompeii for future generations. Time, nature and human activity from tourism are the main contributors to the weathering away of the archaeological site. Rain is a huge threat as large amounts soak the grounds of the site every year making It easier for buildings and structures to become unstable. Other acts of nature such as moisture, light and wind speed up this process. As of now, nothing is being done to mitigate the acts of nature from destructing Pompeii.
My thoughts about Pompeii is that archaeologists should stop with the excavations as there is only a limited budget provided to excavate and preserve the artefacts. Due to the large amount of damage and lack of maintenance, Pompeii needs a continuous work of preservation in order to prevent more damage. Time and the money provided should be spent on conserving these gems as they needed to be treated carefully. As for the remaining 1/3 of the town that has not been touched, it should stay that way until there is an efficient plan for the conservation of the town.
