Recent findings in one of Italy’s top tourist attractions, the Archaeological Park of Pompeii, have throws some light on the middle-class lives in of this ancient city. The findings date back to the eruption of Mount Vesuvius which had covered the ancient Roman city in volcanic debris.
The excavation was first unearthed in 2018 and shed light on the rooms of homes which were destroyed in 79 AD. The recent excavation focuses on the lives of the middle class and worker families. The previous excavations focused largely on Pompeii’s upper-class residents.
Archaeologists have discovered some fascinating insights into the domestic environment of ordinary citizens of the city - every day ephemera such as wooden dishware closets, three-legged accent tables with bowls, trunks, and more.
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The discovery included furnishings and household objects of domus or home. These objects belong to the House of the Larario – an area of a home which is devoted to domestic spirits called 'lares'. The findings shed light on the lifestyle and the financial status of the family. The courtyard, for instance, had a well-decorated cistern. And the walls in one of the rooms were left unpainted, and an earthen floor was used for storage. A bedroom with some linen, a storeroom and sleeping quarters of a family of enslaved inhabitants was also discovered. Objects like an oil lamp - adorned with a bas relief which reflects the ancient Greek god Zeus being transformed into an eagle, accent tables, and a three-legged round table were also discovered in the bedroom.
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Unfortunately, most heritage sites of Pompeii have been lost due to looting and robbing over several years.
