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How did they excavate Pompeii?

How did they excavate Pompeii?

The ruins at Pompeii were first discovered late in the 16th century by the architect Domenico Fontana. Haphazard digging was brought to a stop in 1860, when the Italian archaeologist Giuseppe Fiorelli became director of the excavations. …

What was used to excavate Pompeii?

The eruption, while swift in its destruction, layered Pompeii in a preserving material nearly 25 feet (7.62 m) deep. The first layer consisted of pumice and lava pebbles. It was followed by a deep layer of ash, and finally a layer of fertile soil collected on top of the ash.

What advantages did archaeologists have when they were excavating Pompeii?

The excavations at Pompeii and Herculaneum, by contrast, offer an intact vision of daily life in a Roman society in all its aspects. They have produced not only many treasures, but also many objects that are less precious but extremely useful for the understanding of everyday life during the years of the Roman empire.

Is Pompeii still covered in ash?

Buildings were destroyed, the population was crushed or asphyxiated, and the city was buried beneath a blanket of ash and pumice. For many centuries Pompeii slept beneath its pall of ash, which perfectly preserved the remains. Pompeii, Italy, designated a World Heritage site in 1997.

What can we learn from Pompeii?

By studying the latrines and trash, scientists have learned that Pompeii’s people had a rich and varied diet. They ate songbirds, fish, sea urchins, shellfish and pork — a staple of the Roman diet. By breaking the meat into its molecular components, scientists made another shocking discovery.

How did they preserve the bodies in Pompeii?

To create the preserved bodies at Pompeii, Fiorelli and his team poured plaster into soft cavities in the ash, which were about 30 feet beneath the surface. These cavities were the outlines of bodies, and they retained their forms despite the soft tissue decomposing over time.

What was the first unofficial excavation of Pompeii?

The Excavations – The Eruption of Mount Vesuvius In 1594 workmen were digging a channel through the eastern part of Pompeii when they hit some blocks of marble. This was the first unofficial excavation of Pompeii although no further action was taken for some time.

What was the impact of the Pompeii wedge?

The extensive stabilisation of the excavation fronts and the investigation of the wedge represent the largest intervention in the unexcavated area of Pompeii since the postwar period. Before now small filling interventions have been conducted in the most critical sections.

How much does it cost to dig up Pompeii?

The comprehensive intervention across all fronts of the ancient city will form part of the work of the Great Pompeii Project, and will last approximately two years, at a total cost of around €8.5 million. Works will proceed methodically though smaller sites in order to continue guaranteeing access to the site.

How did Fiorelli prepare for the eruption of Pompeii?

Sections were set out to be completely excavated before beginning the excavation of a new section to enable the full discovery and excavation of Pompeii. Fiorelli also came up with the technique of injecting liquid plaster into the body cavities to create casts of the people of Pompeii who died in the Eruption.