Archaeologica.org

http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20 ... 011062020#

ROME - A 2,000-year-old house in the ancient Roman city of Pompeii, which was once used by gladiators to train before combat, collapsed Saturday, officials said. The site was closed at the time and nobody was injured, but the collapse underscored a controversy over the poor state of Pompeii, one of Italy's main tourist attractions.

Thanks to tourism 1) millions of people have seen Pompeï, 2) the local economy thrived for over a century, and 3) many other archaeology digs were financed.

And they can probably restore that gladiator's gym.

The place is deteriorating and they do not have the money to conserve it.

Minimalist wrote:The place is deteriorating and they do not have the money to conserve it.

Indeed, that money is going to the girls at Berlusconi's bunga-bunga parties.

Despite the revenues generated by Pompei, both local and federal governments in Italy have neglected their duties to use those revenues to maintain and develop the site.

This in turn has led to rather desperate behavior by others.

David Packard wished to fund the recovery of other possible documents from the House of the Papyri in Herculaneum, only to have support money for Pompei demanded from him as well.

Using the word "extortion" would be a little harsh, but not by much.

Of course, here in the US there are many sites that have been similarly poorly managed, in my opinion and that of others.

both local and federal governments in Italy have neglected their duties

Nothing new there, eh E.P.