None of us had been to Pompei, and it seemed like an essential trip, to a truly unique place. We booked onto a guided tour, led by and archaeologist, who was tremendous.
We were told of the timescale of the eruption and the speed with which the town was engulfed.
Archaeologists have been working here for 200 years, since its first discovery, and I would guess that not even half has yet been revealed. The scale of the town is breath-taking. We were able to see houses of both rich and poor, public baths, taverns, fast food places and even a brothel. The pictures will do most of the talking today, it was just amazing.
 |
| The market square with Vesuvius in the background. |
 |
| Ash covered the town and the people, and once the flesh had decayed, left voids. These have been filled with plaster, to reveal the people who had died. This one covering his face to avoid the gas which would have suffocated him. |
 |
| The ornate and well preserved public bath house |
 |
| The entrance to a rich person's house. The wording says "Beware of the dog" |
 |
| The main street |
 |
| As a port city, they had to deal with many languages. To overcome this, pictures were used to illustrate what was on offer. The food establishments used these in the same way the modern fast food places do. The above were a similar menu in the brothel. |
 |
| The scale of the town (which was not overly large by Roman standards) is impressive |
 |
| The amphitheatre |
 |
| One of many gymnasiums |
Steve (and Tricia and Chris)
Comments
Post a Comment