It happened on a of the sultry August day in 79th year AD. Life in the city was going according to a normal rhythm. No one could imagine that something was about to break this summer leisure. However, soon enough a terrifying roar broke the bird singing and people saw a column of dust, fire, smoke and ash ascending over the Vesuvius. The eruption lasted around 3 days and took lives of about 2000 people, out of 20000 that initially inhabited Pompeii. This occurred due to suffocation by gas, and not because of the lava that spilled or tons of ash that fell on them. Those who sat in the boat and took of from the coast of Pompeii survived. This was the end of Pompeii and two adjacent cities. After almost 2000 years under the ground, the city of Pompeii miraculously preserved itself virtually unchanged.
Starting from 1748, excavations were carried out on the territory of the lost Pompeii. However due to changing control over the territory, archaeologists could not agree on the method of excavation (Ciro Nappo). In 1940-1950 gg the largest part of Pompeii was excavated: its necropolis, gates and houses around the manor were released from the ashes and stones, as well as were found the remains of the temples, the baths, the amphitheater, the remains of sculptures, parts of the walls, decorated with painted and floors covered with mosaics. Initially archaeologists were puzzled by voids in the ground and only 100 years later, they realized that these voids are formed in place of the bodies of citizens and animals that were buried beneath tons of volcanic ash and debris (Owens). They began to fill these voids with plaster and today we can witness postures in which the Pompeiians disappeared. For some reason, the nature of damage suggests the surprise happened: the situation in homes, restaurants and public buildings looks like the owners have not left them. Thus, involuntarily a Biblical story associated with the city emerges in mind.
Works Cited:
Ciro Nappo, Salvadore. “Pompei:Its discovery and preservation”. BBC.co.uk. 17 February 2011.
Owens, James. “Ancient Roman life preserved at Pompeii”. National Geographic. Web.
