Rediscovery of Pempeii to Value It’s Importance

In 79 CE, Mount Vesuvius erupted with devastating force, obliterating Pompeii along with numerous neighboring towns, villages, and villas on the Bay of Naples. Buried under layers of lapilli and ash, Pompeii remained concealed and forgotten for almost 1,600 years. Its rediscovery and subsequent excavation have provided an invaluable glimpse into ancient Roman life, preserving the stories and everyday existence of its inhabitants. But what makes this ancient city still significant, even after 2,000 years since its destruction?

The Rediscovery of Pompeii

For centuries, there were whispers and legends about towns near Naples being buried by a catastrophic volcanic event. Ancient writings by Pliny the Younger and Tacitus documented these occurrences, but the exact locations remained a mystery. Additional eruptions in 471-473 and 512 CE further buried any remnants, relegating Pompeii to the realm of myth.

In the late 16th century, the first breakthrough came when Domenico Fontana, while constructing an underground aqueduct through Pompeii, stumbled upon an ancient wall adorned with inscriptions. His shaft, cutting through various parts of the entombed city, revealed walls and buildings rich with murals. However, Fontana chose to keep his findings secret, and it wasn’t until 1689 when Francesco Picchetti discovered a wall inscription referring to a “town councilor of Pompeii.”

Misinterpreting this as a reference to Pompey the Great’s villa, Picchetti missed the true significance of his find. It was Francesco Bianchini who correctly identified the inscription’s link to the ancient city of Pompeii. Giuseppe Macrini’s excavations in 1693 further confirmed that Pompeii lay beneath the area known as La Civita. Despite these findings, systematic excavations only began in 1748. A pivotal moment came in 1763 when an inscription explicitly identifying the site as Pompeii was unearthed.

Early Excavations at Pompeii

Pompeii stands as the world’s longest continuously excavated archaeological site, offering an unparalleled window into Roman daily life. Initial attempts to unearth the city during Emperor Severus Alexander’s reign (222-235 CE) proved futile due to the thick layers of lapilli. It wasn’t until the excavation efforts at nearby Herculaneum in the 17th century that the search for Pompeii resumed with renewed vigor.

Before Vesuvius’s catastrophic eruption, Pompeii was situated 128 feet above sea level, perched on an ancient lava flow about five miles from the volcano’s base. The eruption unleashed pyroclastic flows—superheated ash and gases—racing at speeds up to 100 mph, devastating everything in their path.

The eruption’s timeline can be traced through the layers of volcanic material left behind, providing insights into the event’s impact on the local population and the accuracy of historical accounts like those of Pliny the Younger. The eruption occurred in two main phases: the Vesuvian and Pelean, alternating six times. The Vesuvian phase spewed pumice, hot gases, and ash, while the Pelean phase’s pyroclastic flows solidified the remaining ash, encapsulating the city.

This tragic series of events, combined with the specific weather conditions of that fateful day, ensured Pompeii’s preservation. Today, it stands as a poignant, frozen-in-time testament to Roman civilization, captivating historians, archaeologists, and history enthusiasts alike. Pompeii’s rediscovery continues to shed light on ancient life, making it a site of enduring importance even millennia after its destruction.

How Early Excavations at Pompeii Changed History

When systematic excavations at Pompeii began in the 1700s, the effort resembled more of a treasure hunt than a scientific endeavor. The so-called excavators, working for King Charles III of Naples (Charles of Bourbon), were primarily interested in unearthing valuable items such as silver, gold, and marble statues. These treasures were intended to be sold or used to adorn royal palaces, enhancing Charles’ international prestige and solidifying his position as the head of a new ruling dynasty in Naples. This period coincided with a European classical revival in architecture and art, making Pompeii’s artifacts highly sought after by the elite.

During the time of the Bourbon excavations, the Grand Tour was gaining popularity. This journey, often undertaken by young European aristocrats, artists, and intellectuals, included visits to key cultural sites. Pompeii quickly became a must-see destination. Visitors recorded their experiences in journals and sketches, which now serve as valuable historical records of the early excavations. When important dignitaries visited, it was common for sudden “discoveries” to be staged, allowing the visitors to leave with souvenirs of their visit.

Impact on Art and Literature

Pompeii’s influence extended deeply into art, literature, poetry, and music. This fascination only grew as excavations continued. In the 19th century, the treasure-hunting methods of the Bourbon era were replaced by more organized and documented approaches under the guidance of Giuseppe Fiorelli. Fiorelli transformed the perception of Pompeii from a treasure trove to a repository of stories and histories. His systematic note-keeping during excavations, though not perfect, laid a foundation for modern archaeology.

Amadeo Maiuri, a distinguished professor at the University of Naples and author of numerous publications, played a pivotal role in the excavation and protection of Pompeii. In 1924, Maiuri was appointed Director of the National Archaeological Museum in Naples, Chief of the excavations at Pompeii and Herculaneum, and superintendent of antiquities for Campania.

Maiuri’s teams uncovered many new areas and proposed chronologies of Pompeii’s history that remain topics of scholarly debate. In 1926, excavations at the House of the Surgeon revealed layers dating back to the third century BCE, providing insights into the town’s pre-Roman development. During World War II, Maiuri worked diligently to protect artifacts from Nazi looting.

Despite his significant contributions, Maiuri’s work was also influenced by the fascist regime in Italy. Under Mussolini, Pompeii was used as a propaganda tool to promote the concept of “romanità,” or “Roman way,” symbolizing technological progress and hard work in the fascist vision of a “New Italy.” Maiuri’s portrayal of Pompeii as “frozen in time” supported this narrative, once again linking the ancient city to contemporary historical changes.

Ongoing Discoveries at Pompeii

After World War II, Maiuri resumed excavations, uncovering extensive areas of Pompeii south of Via dell’Abbondanza, the town’s main street. By the 1990s, about two-thirds of the city had been revealed. Excavations uncovered two amphitheaters, hundreds of houses, shops, workshops, inns, stables, brothels, temples, gardens, vineyards, and baths. The frescoes and artifacts left behind by the inhabitants provided a detailed view of ancient Roman life.

One of the most striking discoveries was the plaster casts of Pompeii’s victims. By filling the cavities left by decayed bodies with Plaster of Paris, archaeologists could create detailed molds of the people who perished in the eruption, complete with impressions of their clothing and footwear. These casts, along with skeletal remains, offered insights into ancient nutrition, health, and daily life.

This technique was later applied to plants, revealing much about the diet and occupations of the local population. Due to Pompeii’s long-term excavation, almost all new technological advances in archaeology have been tested there, keeping the site at the forefront of archaeological discovery. The advances continue to reveal new details, ensuring that Pompeii remains an essential resource for understanding the ancient world.