The world famous ruins of Pompeii still hold many secrets to discover. Recently, the remains of a domus have offered new and extraordinary evidence of life in the city before the catastrophe.
Archaeologists working in Pompeii have excavated the remains of a dwelling, unearthing extraordinary evidence of life in the city before the deadly volcanic eruption that caused death and destruction in AD 79.
Recent finds include the remains of three human skeletons, an oven used for baking, a small shrine that probably had great religious importance, as well as the charred remains of a bed that bear witness to the rapid devastation caused by the catastrophe.
Among the most intriguing discoveries is a collection of exquisite frescoes that adorned the walls of the dwelling.
One of these frescoes depicts the image of a very familiar looking food served on a metal plate: a pizza.
Unraveling the riddle of the old “pizza”
Although not technically a pizza, but rather a round focaccia with toppings, this recent find is probably one of the most striking representations of this internationally famous food to be found in recent years.
Pompeii is a stone’s throw from Naples, the city of pizza, but the key ingredients for the preparation of Italy’s iconic dish – tomatoes and mozzarella – were not available when the fresco was painted some 2,000 years ago.
Experts believe that what is actually depicted in the fresco is a focaccia, covered in fruit, such as pomegranate and dates, and finished with spices.
A few meters away, there is a large, well-preserved oven, with the capacity to produce 100 loaves of bread a day.
Some 50 ovens have been unearthed in Pompeii so far, but experts believe this one was probably used by a wholesaler, who delivered bread throughout the city, perhaps to the many fast-food outlets Pompeii was so famous for.
“This house here is probably something in between on the upper (class) side because we have paintings, we have this still life (fresco) here, there are other rooms with frescoes, but there is also a bakery with an oven inside the house, which which is unusual for the houses of the highest class elite,” explains Gabriel Zuchtriegel, director of the Pompeii archaeological site.
echoes of tragedy
A few meters from the oven, three skeletons were found lying on the ground, their bones shattered.
Analysis suggests they belonged to two women and a child between the ages of 3 and 4 who had taken refuge in one of the rooms to escape the eruption and were later crushed to death by the collapsing ceiling.
ADVERTISING“They were badly damaged by the collapsing structures on the upper floors of the house. The image of broken bones and skulls from the impact of the collapsing building was really dramatic,” explains Zuchtriegel.
“These people, probably two women and a child, were hiding here during the eruption. It started raining stones, so the natural response was to find some shelter, hide under some roof.”
The drama of those momentous days of October 79 also unfolds in another part of the house, in what was once a bedroom.
The bed is now a charred mass, the result of the raging fire. It is difficult to recognize her, as she only retains a vague silhouette, eerily etched into the walls and floor that surround her.
Shrine covered in snakes
In another room, excavators recently discovered the “Lararium”, a magnificent sanctuary where its inhabitants entrusted their hopes, wishes and prayers to the gods.
ADVERTISINGIt is decorated with two painted stucco snakes, animals that in Roman times were symbols of prosperity and good omen, and represented a link with the ancestors.
These latest excavations return to a sector of the park last explored at the end of the 19th century, but only now, for the first time, has its entire surface and this domus (Roman house) been revealed.
“It is not our goal to excavate the entire city, which would be very irresponsible because you can only excavate once. Excavation is, in a way, also a form of destruction,” Zuchtriegel says.
“Maybe in the future they will be able to get even more information out of it, so we should also leave something for the future,” he adds.
Watch the video to get a closer look at the recent discoveries made at the Pompeii domus.
