Pompeii Continues To Reveal Its Treasures

[Minimalist]

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-56222992

Pompeii: Archaeologists unveil ceremonial chariot discovery

Archaeologists in Italy have unveiled a ceremonial chariot they discovered near the ancient Roman city of Pompeii.

The four-wheeled carriage was found near a stable where three horses were uncovered back in 2018.

Experts believe it was likely used in festivities and parades, with the find described as "exceptional" and "in an excellent state of preservation".

[Simon21]

This is certainly a great and interesting discovery. The only fly in the ointment is the designation. Surely four wheels is a cart or coach not a chariot. But clearly there is much still to be found at Pompeii, if it is not robbed out first. There is still the great mystery of why a precious chunky amethyst necklace was found in a sewer drain.

[Minimalist]

Herculaneum, this time.


https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-57055163

Vesuvius ancient eruption rescuer identified at Herculaneum, says expert

Archaeologists in Italy believe they have identified the body of a rescuer killed in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius almost 2,000 years ago.

The skeleton, originally thought to be an ordinary soldier, was among some 300 found at Herculaneum in the 1980s.

It is now thought he may have been a senior officer in the rescue mission launched by historian and naval commander Pliny the Elder.

"Identified" by function, not by name.

[circumspice]

I wonder why the archaeologists didn't consider all that 40 years ago? Nothing has changed... just the viewpoint of the researchers. Something I noticed is that the excavator is roughly the same height as the man whose remains he is excavating. (He's almost laying in the same prone position) I love it when an article has clear pics and/or diagrams with something included to show its relative size. (person, ruler, coin, etc) It gives a sense of perspective. If you see a pic of an object alone with nothing to give it perspective, you can't tell if it's tiny or huge or somewhere in between. (pet peeve of mine)

[Minimalist]

I agree completely. When someone posts a photo here and says, "anybody know what this is" I always ask them to put something in the photo for scale.

A ruler is nice.

[Simon21]

Is it not true that most of the skeletons on the Herculaneum sea front are male - leading to the assumption that they were trying to secure boats for their women and children sheltering in the boat sheds

[Minimalist]

Quite so. Most of the skeletons in the vaults were women/children as I recall.

[Simon21]

There was a documentary on this. It focused in part on how some people's heads had exploded due to the vaporisation of their brains. There was even a graphic for those who didn't know what an exploding human cranium might look like.

This was followed by a BM exhibition which included a family group including a baby, all victims of the eruption. They were suffocated, the caption pointing out that the baby had adopted "boxers fists" indicating it was choking to death. The adults had writhed on the floor.

All for archaeology and all possible info must be gathered, but I could have done with a few simple words

[Minimalist]

I believe I saw that video. The effects of a pyroclastic flow on the human body are pretty gruesome.

[Minimalist]

Slave quarters unearthed. Apparently in the dig which resulted in the "Chariot" above.


https://www.rawstory.com/slave-room-dis ... rare-find/

Slave room discovered at Pompeii in 'rare' find

Pompeii archaeologists said Saturday they have unearthed the remains of a "slave room" in an exceptionally rare find at a Roman villa destroyed by Mount Vesuvius' eruption nearly 2,000 years ago.

The little room with three beds, a ceramic pot and a wooden chest was discovered during a dig at the Villa of Civita Giuliana, a suburban villa just a few hundred meters from the rest of the ancient city.

An almost intact ornate Roman chariot was discovered here at the start of this year, and archaeologists said Saturday that the room likely housed slaves charged with maintaining and prepping the chariot.

I threw in the photo for Simon!

[circumspice]

It looks like the walls were plastered or white washed & painted with the lattice design. Rather nice for slave quarters. I suppose that the room could have also been for freemen/salaried servants. Who would know unless there was a sign that stated Slave Quarters at the entrance?... So... Speculation, nothing more. Quarters for a guest's driver & footmen, since it's close to the stables? Servants weren't held in much higher regard than slaves were.

[Minimalist]

Anything is possible but slavery was pretty well ensconced among the Roman elite in the first century CE and make no mistake, Pompeii was the playground of the rich when they left Rome to escape the Summer heat. These were not field hands. And while you are right that slaves were at the bottom of the social totem pole they were still an asset to their owners. You could, if you wished, take a sledgehammer out to your car and beat the shit out of it but why would you? It's your car.

[Simon21]

Mary Beard, cynicism personified, also questioned the automatic assumption these were "slave" quarters, though she says maybe these peoiple were thought of as part of the chariot and horses get up.

At Vindolanda the cavalry quarters were tiny. Especially when one was told that as far as could be told each stall held a horse and cavalryman.

[Minimalist]

So they found a 4 wheeled chariot at the house.... which sounds more like a cart than a chariot but whatever and they found a small room which they surmise to be slave quarters. Other than sheer speculation I don't see anything which connects the two.

Suppose in 10,000 years archaeologists dig into a house in Beverly Hills. They find the garage with the remains of a Mercedes-Benz. Later they find the Au Pair's bedroom. Would they conclude that the Au Pair was the mechanic assigned to the Mercedes?

[Simon21]

Scepticism is worthy but it can go to far. Not sure they had Au Pairs in ancient Pompeii. Presumably someone was looking after the transport, though of course it remains an assumption