Discovering Pompeii (BY NAZEK JAMAL)

Disaster strikes:

It was the 24 august year 79 AD it was typical day in the roman city of Pompeii, bakers and shop keepers were selling there goods while other had gathered to share the latest news and talk, and some were drinking and eating in the taverns

Suddenly a huge crash shook the grounds. People rushed outside, all they saw were smoke and flames coming from the top of the Vesuvius( volcanic mountain), lava and ashes dropped down. The sky became dark and dull, People fled in panic.

Within hours Pompeii was buried under layers of lava, ashes and stones. 2000 people and the city itself had disappeared without a trace beneath the ashes. All that remained of Pompeii was a grey and empty waste land.

Pompeii Rediscovered:

For over a thousand of years after the eruption of Vesuvius, the towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum remained buried and forgotten. when workmen accidentally discovered some ruins, people then began to search for the towns. And that’s how Herculaneum was exposed. After Herculaneum was discovered people turned to Pompeii. Which later was discovered by the brilliant Italian archeologist named Giuseppe fiorelli, he was not seeking treasure he just wanted to find out about the past. Fiorelli and a group of archeologists then started working on Pompeii. For the first time since the disaster hit. The streets of Pompeii could be seen once more. Fiorellis most fascinating achievement was the plaster casts which he made of the dead.

Walking in Pompeii

Ever since the time of fiorelli, archeologists have continued excavations at Pompeii. Almost all of the ancient cities have been rediscovered. Today visitors can walk along the streets of Pompeii enter the houses and shops. By looking at the ruins you can imagine how the life in Rome was like. Since Pompeii was a harbor town people came from far way to sell and buy goods. Most of Pompeii streets were narrow. They were paved with blocks of stones. The road itself was also raised slightly in the center to allow water to run into gutters. Large stepping stones have been found along the roads. Many craftsmen and traders lived in Pompeii. The people of Pompeii enjoyed many forms of entertainment. Like the citizens of Rome, they loved to relax in the public baths. Ruins of these baths have been excavated and some of them have even been resorted. During excavation, ointment jars were found in the area of baths. They also found the ruins of two theaters, and large open air building and a smaller roof theater. Many musical instruments were found like pipes, cymbals and rattles.

BY NAZEK JAMAL – 10A