Recent discoveries in the Archaeological Park of Pompeii, one of Italy's major tourist destinations, have shed some light on the middle-class lifestyles in this ancient city. The discoveries are related to Mount Vesuvius' eruption, which left the old Roman town blanketed in the volcanic material.
The initial part of the excavation, uncovered in 2018, revealed the interior spaces of houses demolished in 79 AD. The current excavation, sources said, focused particularly on working-class and middle-class households. The upper-class inhabitants of Pompeii were the main subject of the earlier excavations.
New Discovery Sheds Light On The Homes Of People In Pompeii
The most recent finds at the location, which Pompeii's archaeological park disclosed on Saturday, provide a glimpse into life for the city's middle class-those who had extra money to spend on house furnishings but still had to worry about feeding their family.
"In the Roman empire, there was an ample chunk of the population that struggled with their social status and for whom 'daily bread' was anything but a given," Pompeii archaeological park director Gabriel Zuchtriegel said per USA Today.
Middle-class home comes to light in Pompeii. A cupboard that had stayed unopened for 2,000 years, was found complete with dishware, glass plates, ceramic bowls and vases. In the findings also ornaments and a bed [read more: https://t.co/gNWHSvBmmF]pic.twitter.com/RlNen8yuq9
— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) August 6, 2022
Zuchtriegel added: "A vulnerable class during political crises and food shortages, but also ambitious about climbing the social ladder."
According to Zuchtriegel, the discovery of four extra rooms in a house-first discovered in 2018-had provided priceless information regarding the everyday living conditions of the city's common people. In 2021, the Pompeii Archaeological Park carried out more excavations that uncovered other chambers.
What Is Inside a Middle-Class Home in Pompeii?
A wooden dishware cabinet full of immaculately preserved dishes, a trunk thrown open as its owner attempted to escape the falling rubble, and three-legged end tables with ornamental bowls are just a few of the most amazing items that archaeologists discovered, Euro News reported.
Archaeologists discovered the remnants of a bed frame and a pillow's fabric in a bedroom. The type of bed is the same as three cot-like beds found last year in a small room in another house, which scientists believe served as both a storehouse and living space for a family of enslaved Pompeii residents.
The storage was exposed, revealing a wooden closet with its backboard intact, but its shelves collapsed. According to archaeologists, the closet contained cookware and dishes for the neighboring kitchen and had at least four-panel doors. A hinge from the enclosure was also discovered by the excavators.
A big part of a transparent, rimmed plate with stunning shades of cobalt blue and green was also discovered in the home, along with an intact incense burner in the form of a cradle.
Unfortunately, the majority of Pompeii's historic sites have been destroyed by theft and vandalism over many years.
