Secrets of Pompeii

In the year 79 a.d., August 24 began like any other day in the busy city of Pompeii (pahm-PAY). But in the afternoon, a mountain nearby started to rumble. Suddenly, a giant cloud of ash, stones, and toxic gases exploded into the sky. 

The mountain in what is now southern Italy was actually a volcano called Mount Vesuvius. It had been dormant for so long that the 15,000 residents of Pompeii didn’t realize how destructive it could be. They would soon find out. 

Within 24 hours, the city was swallowed by a deadly mixture of superhot gases, ash, and rocks. When the ash cooled, it hardened like concrete. Pompeii disappeared from the map, lost without a trace for centuries.

Fast-forward to 1748, when workers began to dig up the rediscovered ruins of Pompeii. For archaeologists, it has been like finding buried treasure. The excavation has slowly continued for more than 250 years—and it’s still providing new clues about Pompeii and its people.

Archaeologists were amazed to find that the ash that had devastated Pompeii had also preserved the city. They’ve uncovered homes, shops, and hundreds of artifacts in almost perfect condition.

Steven Ellis is an archaeologist who has spent more than 20 years studying and excavating the city. He says Pompeii is unlike any other archaeological site. He compares most ancient cities to ghost towns—people had abandoned these places long before they were rediscovered in modern times.

“Pompeii is fascinating because you get to see a city that was still pulsing with life,” Ellis explains.

One recent discovery that reveals more about everyday life in Pompeii is a thermopolium. Ellis says it’s similar to a fast-food stand at your local shopping mall. The food would’ve been cooked in front of customers and then served over a counter. Jars found inside the counter had traces of meats, including duck, chicken, and pork. One jar had a mixture of snails, fish, and sheep that might have been a type of stew. 

In addition to restaurants, Pompeii had something else you might see in a city today: graffiti. Archaeologists have found thousands of examples of words and pictures painted onto the walls of buildings. These messages include conversations between friends and advertisements for people running in elections. Some experts compare them to today’s social media posts.

Will even more secrets from the buried city be revealed? About one-third of Pompeii is still covered by up to 20 feet of rock and dirt. 

“You walk over it, and you know that underneath your feet, there’s still so much that future generations will be able to discover one day,” Ellis says.