Mt. Vesivius - Volcano Love

Mount Vesuvius, a volcano near the Bay of Naples in Italy, is hundreds of thousands of years old and has erupted more than 50 times. Its most famous eruption took place in the year 79 A.D., when the volcano buried the ancient Roman cities of Pompeii and Hurculaneum under a thick carpet of volcanic ash. The dust “poured across the land” like a flood, one witness wrote, and shrouded the city in “a darkness…like the black of closed and unlighted rooms.” Thanks to the History Channel for most of this description!  While pyroclastic material (light volcanic rock)  fell on the cities, in Pompeii thousands died primarily from the noxious gas emitted the day following the initial eruption. In Hurculaneum, intense heat (500 degrees Celsius) killed most of the residents who could not escape via boat. In the 1990's, over 300 skeletal remains were found huddled together at the beach awaiting escape. Both cities were abandoned for 2000 years.

I have always had a fascination of volcanoes - thus prompting our volcanic road trip up the west coast in 2007. Pompeii has been on my wish list. In my research, I discovered the nearby wealthy city of Hurculaneum that suffered the same fate. While Hurculaneum was discovered before Pompeii by Spaniards in 1738, once Pompeii was found in 1748, Hurculaneum was abandoned. More modern excavations, largely founded by the Packard Humanities Institute (under David Packard) have enabled the reconstruction of a sizable area of the city which is more realized than most of Pompeii.  Hurculaneum has a modern town built above the ancient city which prevents easy access to the rest of the ruins. Tunnels have been built that reach under the modern town to reach more of the ruins.
Pompeii photos

Looking from agora - market - toward Mt. Vesuvius

Agora with Mt Vesuvius behind me

mosaic floor in wealthy home

mosaic floor - black dog - meant as warning to not enter

fresco in brothel with graphical suggestions on poses

alot of streets to wander! And curbs are high up

fresco in home

street with gate

one of many bath houses

plaster mold of one of the remains

fresco in home

elaborate fountain in home

fresco in home

one of many temples near agora

plaster molds of figures as they were found - trying to protest themselves from the falling rock

Hurculaneum photos

streets of the ancient city

ancient Hurculaneum in forground, modern city behind, Mt. Vesuvius in background.

elaborate frescos in the freeman building where slaves who bought or were given their freedom were members. Some became very wealthy

wall mosaic in home

with ancient ruins all around, the turk was most excited about finding figs