Archaeologists Unearth ‘Once-in-a-Century’ Discovery in Pompeii
Archaeologists in Pompeii have unearthed a “once-in-a-century” discovery which has been buried under piles of rock and ash in the ancient city for over 2,000 years. The news was revealed exclusively to BBC News.
Scientists uncovered a luxurious bathhouse, which they believe is the largest ever discovered in the Roman city, in the center of a palatial home they first came across two years ago. Since then, archaeologists have been excavating the contents of the estate. The bathhouse is opulent, to say the least, decorated with ornate artwork and featuring a massive plunge pool, as well as hot, warm, and cold rooms.
Archaeological Park of Pompeii Press Office
Archaeological Park of Pompeii Press Office
“There are just a few houses that have a private bath complex, so it was something really for the wealthiest of the wealthy,” Gabriel Zuchtriegel, director of the Archaeological Park of Pompeii, told BBC. “And this is so huge—it’s probably the biggest bath complex in a Pompeiian private home,” he continued. “It’s these spaces that really are part of the ‘Pompeii effect.’ It’s almost as if the people had only left a minute ago.”
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It is believed that the home was owned by Aulus Rustius Verus, a well-heeled Pompeiian politician who is also thought to have owned a bakery and a laundry facility located on the same block as the home. The bathhouse is further evidence of Verus’ uber-elite status.
Zuchtriegel and his associates will continue to excavate the residence, searching for more artifacts that illuminate Pompeii’s tragic history. Last August, they discovered the skeletons of two Pompeiians who perished when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 A.D. One was an older woman aged between 35 and 50 and the other was a young man in his teens or early 20s. The man and woman, who was clutching an assortment of valuable jewelry and coins, had taken refuge in a small room within the manse hoping to avoid the flames.
“This is a dramatic place, and everything you find here tells you about the drama,” Ludovicia Alesse, a Pompeii conservator, told the outlet.
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