Pompeii
On August 24th, 79 A.D. Mt Vesuvius erupted and buried Pompeii under ash and rock. Excavation has uncovered less than half of the city, but the plan is to excavate the entire area. Pompeii was a busy port city, that was so well preserved under the ash, that archeologists have been able to get an almost photographic picture of everyday life, almost 2,000 years ago. The first picture shows Mr. Vesuvius in the background. If you use your finger and trace the outline of the mountain up one side and down the other, you can see how much of the mountain was blown off during the eruption. Mt. Vesuvius is still an active volcano and scientist say it is a matter of time before it erupts again............
This picture is just on the outside of the city. It is on the port side and the terrain slants down toward the water.
This picture shows where the boats would tie up when they came into port.
You can see where the boats would tie up to port on the right side of this picture. When the mountain erupted, dirt and ash covered up so much that the coastline was extended out into the water. That explains the hill on the left side of the picture. The ground has been excavated down to show the beginning of the city, which started at the port.
This was a measuring device in the market. You would bring your grains or whatever else you wanted to purchase and it would be measured to determine the price.
This is a street sign on the corner of a building on a main street. The sign told you that this is the way the animals should go.
This is the entrance to a home. The mosaic on the floor is of a dog. Below the dog and covered up by dirt on this particular day, written in Latin are the words, "Beware of Dog" Isn't that amazing!!??
This is a store, fast food place, or what I called it, a McDonalds! There were several of them. They would place large vases, or jars down in these holes, that would hold food. One side would have a place to have a fire to keep certain food warm. You could come by on your way home from your slave work.......uhumm....and pick up your dinner. There were a few places to sit in the back if you wanted to eat at the McDonalds.
Alex and Stacey listening to the tour guide telling us about the fast food industry in Pompeii.
This street looks out towards the Mediterranean.
This was a doorway. All the doors were built out of wood. They would slide them back and forth to open and shut them. Who needed henges??!!
Another street sign showing that this is the way to the market.
So many streets!! They just crisscrossed each other. Stores, houses, businesses, were all scattered out just like they would be today in a city. Notice the stepping stone in the middle of the street for people to use for crossing.
There was an area that housed tons of excavated things. Most of the things were in a museum in Naples, but Pompeii still kept some things to show the tourist. This is a person sitting down trying to cover his face and nose from the killing gas from the eruption. They use plaster, pumped down into the ground to get these castings of the people. After the plaster hardened they would clean the dirt away.
This is a pregnant woman.
You can tell she was trying to cover her face.
This is the foot of a person. You can see the bones.
This is just one of many homes. All the homes were built in a square, the roof opened in the middle and the roof slanted down in the middle. Before water was pumped into the city, this is how they got most of their water. The rain would drain off the roofs into these pools in the center of the courtyard. After running water was introduced, most of these pools became decorative.
This is an exposed lead pipe used for running water. Can you believe it??!!
This was a laundrymat!! Yes, I said Laundrymat!! The hearth was used to heat water to wash the clothes!!
Brick oven pizza anyone??
This is the back side of one of the Amphitheaters. It was originally used for the actors to use to sit and relax inbetween plays. Later, when Rome ruled the world, these were turned into arenas for the gladiators to fight. Bars were placed across the rooms to house the criminals, gladiators, and animals.
Pompeii is an amazing place. If you ever get a chance to come to Italy, you must come and see it. I could post a million pictures, but I seem to get more response to the pretty pictures, so I will end your tour of Pompeii with this last picture.
This picture is just on the outside of the city. It is on the port side and the terrain slants down toward the water.
This picture shows where the boats would tie up when they came into port.
You can see where the boats would tie up to port on the right side of this picture. When the mountain erupted, dirt and ash covered up so much that the coastline was extended out into the water. That explains the hill on the left side of the picture. The ground has been excavated down to show the beginning of the city, which started at the port.
This was a measuring device in the market. You would bring your grains or whatever else you wanted to purchase and it would be measured to determine the price.
This is a street sign on the corner of a building on a main street. The sign told you that this is the way the animals should go.
This is the entrance to a home. The mosaic on the floor is of a dog. Below the dog and covered up by dirt on this particular day, written in Latin are the words, "Beware of Dog" Isn't that amazing!!??
This is a store, fast food place, or what I called it, a McDonalds! There were several of them. They would place large vases, or jars down in these holes, that would hold food. One side would have a place to have a fire to keep certain food warm. You could come by on your way home from your slave work.......uhumm....and pick up your dinner. There were a few places to sit in the back if you wanted to eat at the McDonalds.
Alex and Stacey listening to the tour guide telling us about the fast food industry in Pompeii.
This street looks out towards the Mediterranean.
This was a doorway. All the doors were built out of wood. They would slide them back and forth to open and shut them. Who needed henges??!!
Another street sign showing that this is the way to the market.
So many streets!! They just crisscrossed each other. Stores, houses, businesses, were all scattered out just like they would be today in a city. Notice the stepping stone in the middle of the street for people to use for crossing.
There was an area that housed tons of excavated things. Most of the things were in a museum in Naples, but Pompeii still kept some things to show the tourist. This is a person sitting down trying to cover his face and nose from the killing gas from the eruption. They use plaster, pumped down into the ground to get these castings of the people. After the plaster hardened they would clean the dirt away.
This is a pregnant woman.
You can tell she was trying to cover her face.
This is the foot of a person. You can see the bones.
This is just one of many homes. All the homes were built in a square, the roof opened in the middle and the roof slanted down in the middle. Before water was pumped into the city, this is how they got most of their water. The rain would drain off the roofs into these pools in the center of the courtyard. After running water was introduced, most of these pools became decorative.
This is an exposed lead pipe used for running water. Can you believe it??!!
This was a laundrymat!! Yes, I said Laundrymat!! The hearth was used to heat water to wash the clothes!!
Brick oven pizza anyone??
This is the back side of one of the Amphitheaters. It was originally used for the actors to use to sit and relax inbetween plays. Later, when Rome ruled the world, these were turned into arenas for the gladiators to fight. Bars were placed across the rooms to house the criminals, gladiators, and animals. Pompeii is an amazing place. If you ever get a chance to come to Italy, you must come and see it. I could post a million pictures, but I seem to get more response to the pretty pictures, so I will end your tour of Pompeii with this last picture.
posted by Kathy at 3:44 PM
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