Pompeii, still being excavated (Romans, France, slaves, years)
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I love that they're still continuing to unearth things.
Pompeii Still Has Buried Secrets
The first major excavations in decades shed light on how ordinary citizens shopped and snacked—and where slaves slept.
The thermopolium, which opened to visitors in August, is a delight. A masonry counter is decorated with expertly rendered and still vivid images: a fanciful depiction of a sea nymph perched on the back of a seahorse; a trompe-l’oeil painting of two strangled ducks on a countertop, ready for the butcher’s knife; a fierce-looking dog on a leash. The unfaded colors—coral red for the webbed feet of the pitiful ducks, shades of copper and russet for the feathers of a buoyant cockerel that has yet to meet the ducks’ fate—are as eye-catching now as they would have been for passersby two millennia ago. (Today, they are protected from the elements and the sunlight by glass.) Another panel, bordered in black, is among Pompeii’s most self-referential art works: a representation of a snack bar, with the earthenware vessels known as amphorae stacked against a counter laden with pots of food. A figure—perhaps the snack bar’s proprietor—bustles in the background. The effect is similar to that of a diner owner who displays a blown-up selfie on the wall behind his cash register. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2...buried-secrets
I love that they're still continuing to unearth things.
Pompeii Still Has Buried Secrets
The first major excavations in decades shed light on how ordinary citizens shopped and snacked—and where slaves slept.
The thermopolium, which opened to visitors in August, is a delight. A masonry counter is decorated with expertly rendered and still vivid images: a fanciful depiction of a sea nymph perched on the back of a seahorse; a trompe-l’oeil painting of two strangled ducks on a countertop, ready for the butcher’s knife; a fierce-looking dog on a leash. The unfaded colors—coral red for the webbed feet of the pitiful ducks, shades of copper and russet for the feathers of a buoyant cockerel that has yet to meet the ducks’ fate—are as eye-catching now as they would have been for passersby two millennia ago. (Today, they are protected from the elements and the sunlight by glass.) Another panel, bordered in black, is among Pompeii’s most self-referential art works: a representation of a snack bar, with the earthenware vessels known as amphorae stacked against a counter laden with pots of food. A figure—perhaps the snack bar’s proprietor—bustles in the background. The effect is similar to that of a diner owner who displays a blown-up selfie on the wall behind his cash register. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2...buried-secrets
I was at Pompeii in November of 2019. I cannot imagine going to southern Italy without spending a day at Pompeii. It truly is amazing. You can still see the ruts in the cobblestone streets from the Roman chariots. The volcanic ash from Vesuvius poured over the city and preserved everything. Roman houses, cafeterias, and for adults the brothel. It makes for an incredible tour that tells us a great deal about Roman life.
Its easy to forget what a tragedy Pompeii was for the Roman inhabitants. Thousands of them died choking in volcanic ash. As fascinating as it is to explore Pompeii, I am never able to lose sight of that.
I am glad the excavation continues. I am sure there is much more to learn.
Last edited by markg91359; 01-30-2022 at 08:21 PM..
I'm always haunted by the thought of how terrifying it must have been to see what was coming and know there was no escape.
Most of Pompeii's residents had fled the volcanic eruption, which was staggered and happened over several days. The remains of people you see were those who'd returned to the city in a lull, thinking that the worst had passed and wanted to save possessions or even do a bit of looting themselves before getting caught in another eruption. That's been the main theory.
Pompeii was destroyed by accumulating volcanic ash while nearby Herculaneum was destroyed by lava flow, being closer to the base of Mount Vesuvius.
What I find interesting is that in 79AD there was a flourishing society in Italy. 1400 years later they find natives living in America wearing animal skins and living in stick housing. I wonder how much progress would have taken place if America was never discovered.
What I find interesting is that in 79AD there was a flourishing society in Italy. 1400 years later they find natives living in America wearing animal skins and living in stick housing. I wonder how much progress would have taken place if America was never discovered.
Its true the Romans were great builders. I was amazed when I started visiting Europe. However, you can find arenas like the Colosseum throughout Europe. There are smaller, but similar ones that still exist in Nimes, France and in Arles, France. One can find huge theaters built by the Romans in places like Orange, France. My favorite site though is the aqueduct at Pont du Gard which was built 2000 years ago.
What I never lose sight of though is how the Romans accomplished these feats. It was done with slave labor. It is probably fair to say that these structures were literally built over the bodies of hundreds, perhaps thousands of dead slaves. The Romans were not known for their humanity. Perhaps, progress should be viewed in terms of not only buildings, but in terms of a society's contribution to humanity.
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