Day 77: Pompeii - A Catastrophe Frozen In Time

The ancient town of Pompeii, famously destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, lay conveniently along our route of travel from Rome to Amalfi.  We therefore decided to stop and take a gander at this ill-fated society.  

Brief History
Pompeii was an important large city in ancient Rome, with a population of about 20,000 during its heyday.  The population consisted of about 50% citizens and 50% slaves.  Pompeii was a port city as well as a holiday destination due to its close proximity to the sea and thermal springs.

Everything changed in 79AD, when Mount Vesuvius unleashed its wrath on the town, covering it with about 20 feet of volcanic ash.  Those people that did not immediately leave perished from toxic gasses, and then the entire city was buried under volcanic ash.  As a result of the eruption, Pompeii now sits well inland from the sea coast.

Discovering an ancient city ... in your backyard
Centuries passed after the eruption, and soon a small village was established above the buried city. In the 1700's a farmer (or a group of workers) was digging in the land and discovered a frescoed wall.  Excavations began in the 1700's and took place throughout the following century.  The ash preserved the city and its deceased inhabitants remarkably well over the millennia.  Much of the structural damage was due to the earthquakes that plagued the city before Vesuvius blew its top. 

See that white house in the background? The land was consistently at that level before excavations began. The entire city was was buried in the hill!

Walking Tour
We had about two hours to see the site, which is massive.  We therefore felt it prudent to hook up with a tour guide in order to make the most of our limited time.  We used Pompeii Walking Tours and our tour guide, Fabio, was great. 

POMPEII TIP:  If you would like a guided tour, don't wait in the massive line for tickets.  Simply find one of the tour guides who will cut the line and buy your tickets for you.  

The following is a photo journal of our stroll through ancient Pompeii:

Entering Pompeii

View of Mt. Vesuvius and the Temple of Jupiter overlooking the forum.

Pompeii's forum

Pompeii had no plumbing, so sewage was washed out along the streets. The streets featured these stepping stones that allowed carts to pass along the street, while enabling pedestrians to cross without getting their feet dirty.

The Temple of Apollo

A kitchen in a large Pompeii home. This family likely had slaves who would cook and manage their house.

Inside the men's bath house. The bath house had three rooms, with progressively warmer temperatures. This room was a locker room - the men would leave their clothes in the cubby holes between the statues.

Marble wash basin inside the steam room of the bath house. This marble was of the highest quality and was brought to Pompeii from Tuscany.

The walls inside the steam room of the bath house were hollow and had hot water piped through them to provide heat and steam. Very advanced!

One of the baths. Sunlight would come in through a hole in the dome. The dome was decorated with a fresco of sea creatures that would reflect on the water of the bath.

Our tour guide, Fabio, describing a typical 'fast food' restaurant in Pompeii. These basins would have contained pots of different types of food.

Courtyard of a nice Pompeiian home. The cistern in the middle of the room collected rain water for use in the home. Its second function, when full of water, was to reflect the sunlight to enhance the ambiance of the room.

Close up of the tile mosaic on the floor. Notice the swastikas in the border design. Swastikas, originally a Indian symbol, represented luck and well-being in western cultures up until Nazi Germany. Since then it has become taboo, associated with antisemitism, murder and hatred.

Columns were typically made of bricks covered with decorative plaster.

These paintings were on the wall above the central food market. Note the paintings of bread and fish - ancient Roman advertisements!

Plaster mold of one of the unfortunate victims of the Pompeii catastrophe. When Pompeii was excavated, the cavities left in the ash by bodies were filled with plaster to obtain these molds. Most victims perished due to suffocation from the noxious gasses. This person was a slave, as evidenced by his large leather belt.

Close up of the victim's head. The skull is real. What most impressed me about the plaster molding process was how it captured their facial expression and their body movement. You immediately understand how they perished and can see the pain and fear they felt at the end. It's fascinating, terrifying, and very sad all at once.

Another victim. This woman was pregnant. Notice how she is trying to protect her face from the noxious gasses and ash. Many of the bodies were found in a similar position.

Pompeii was renowned in ancient Rome for the quality of its prostitutes. These frescoes in one of the many brothels served as a 'menu' for patrons.

A street-side fountain. These fountains distributed fresh spring water for people to drink. Each fountain was decorated with a different figure, which is how many people would give directions around the city. Instead of street names, directions were often conveyed by figures carved on fountains or on the sides of buildings.

A couple of kids demonstrating the Pompeiian method of drinking from the fountain.

The large theater in Pompeii. Performances are still held here.

The Barbiers in Pompeii