Just south of Naples, near the coast, at the foot of a scenic mountain, is the little town of Pompei. In ancient Roman times it was a thriving and sophisticated city. Then, in 79 AD, it was buried under massive amounts of ash and pumice after the catastrophic volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius. The horrible, almost instant, burial of the city has preserved the remnants of the city’s buildings, many artifacts and even some residents in amazing condition. It was truly fantastic to explore the mostly intact villas, bath houses and streets of this once vibrant ancient Roman city.
Some of the public spaces in town....
Crosswalks in Pompei were raised stones placed in the middle of the road so people could cross without stepping down into the dirty street, but cart wheels could still pass on either side.
The entrance to each villa had a small atrium, usually with a tiled or marble pool in the center.
The Battle of Alexander mosaic from a villa called the House of the Faun is made of over half a million tiny colored tiles.
Ancient Romans had personal alters in their homes devoted to ancestors and family gods.
Entrance to one of many public bath houses.
The changing rooms in public baths had cubbies for people’s clothes.
Meticulous casts were made from the impressions left in the ash by the unfortunate inhabitants. Frozen in their final moments, they are a sobering reminder of the volcanic disaster.
There are multiple warehouses filled with stacks and stacks of artifacts.
Carved stone fountains which spewed fresh water for consumption are placed around the town - some hooked up to modern plumbing for visitors to drink from.
