Archaeologists in Pompeii have discovered the remains of a pregnant tortoise that sought refuge in the ruins of a home destroyed by an earthquake in AD62 only to be covered by volcanic ash and rock when Mount Vesuvius erupted. The 14cm (5.5in) long Hermann’s tortoise and her egg were discovered during excavations of an area […]
Etiket: Pompeii
Discovery of Pompeii slaves’ room sheds rare light on real Roman life | Italy
A perfectly intact room that was lived in by slaves has been discovered in a suburb of the ancient Roman city of Pompeii. Three wooden beds, a chamber pot and a wooden chest containing metal and fabric items were among the objects found in the cramped living quarters of what was a sprawling villa in […]
Human remains in tomb are best-preserved ever found in Pompeii | Italy
The partially mummified remains, including hair and bones, of a former slave who rose through the social ranks have been found in the ancient Roman city of Pompeii. The remains of Marcus Venerius Secundio were found in a tomb at the necropolis of Porta Sarno, which was one of the main entrance gates into the […]
Pompeii dig unearths fighting fresco in ‘gladiators’ tavern’
Well-preserved find on wall beneath stairwell is latest discovery at Regio V site A well-preserved fresco depicting fighting gladiators has been unearthed by archaeologists in the ancient Roman city of Pompeii. The scene is of the end of a fight between two types of gladiator – a murmillo and a Thracian – where one wins […]
Baked dormouse and other Roman delicacies come to Oxford
Ashmolean Museum’s Pompeii exhibition includes food carbonised by eruption in AD79 Fattened up with acorns and chestnuts to the size of a cricket ball and then stuffed, baked and perhaps seasoned with honey and poppy seeds, the dormouse was one of ancient Rome’s most popular delicacies. The Romans also adored dishes such as rabbit stuffed […]
Life and death in Pompeii and Herculaneum
The people of Pompeii cower in agony at the close of this extraordinary exhibition. In one chilling tableau an entire family – husband, wife and two children – lie together in positions of extreme pain and terror. The man and woman have their arms raised, fists clenched, as they brace against the extreme heat that […]
Roman erotica lacks a sense of sin
The British Museum’s Life and Death in Pompeii and Herculaneum exhibition displays plenty of erotic art, but to modern eyes it misses that essential naughty element Sex is a highlight of the British Museum’s exhibition Life and Death in Pompeii and Herculaneum, as I point out in my review. The villas and brothels of Pompeii were […]
Bloody, Defeated Gladiator Drips Gore in Gruesome Fresco Uncovered at Pompeii
Gladiators may have frequented the ancient tavern where the fresco was found. Rich, vibrant hues in a fresco recently uncovered at Pompeii illustrate the brutal finale of a violent battle between two gladiators. The unknown artist was generous with the color red; the upright victor is bleeding from several gashes, and the losing fighter’s body is striped […]
Tutankhamen’s Hidden Dagger
It was found that the dagger of the ancient Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamen was made of an extraterrestrial substance. The dagger may have been made from a meteorite. Researchers announced that the rate of nickel and cobalt in the dagger next to the mummy of the pharaoh, who died at a young age, was not from […]
This article is more than 1 month old Erotic fresco depicting Greek myth unveiled in Pompeii
Last year’s excavations found a well-preserved photo of Leda and swan A fresco depicting an erotic scene from the Greek myth Leda and the Swan has been unveiled to the public for the first time in the ancient Roman city of Pompeii. The well-preserved fresco of the figure of Leda being impregnated by the Roman […]