Pompeii, Italy

Pompeii was a large Roman city buried under ash by a volcanic eruption  of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. The ash preserved much of the town and numerous excavations have left us with a wonderful example of what  a Roman city was like  almost 2,000 years ago .

Denali on the exercise field of Roman Gladiators.

Hey, look at me. I'm a brave Gladiator in my dorm room. Don't I look fierce?

I'm sitting in front of a store in Pompeii. I don't know what they sold, but the groove in the rock indicates it was a shop with a sliding door.

The stone urns held food and was a restaurant at the market. The original McDonald's perhaps?

Our tour guide near a public fountain on the street. Notice how well preserved the walls and streets are.

Bob is standing next to the door into a bedroom.  What can you surmise about the people of Pompeii from this photo?

The ash covered the town so completely, statues and even the paintings on the wall are still visible.

This is the dining room of a very elegant home.  The floor was covered with beautiful mosaics that have been moved to a museum for protection. The walls were covered with fresco's and notice the tunnel under the floor at the back.  Robbers were breaking in to steal from the owners when the volcano erupted!! 

Archaeologists know they were robbers because they found their skeletons in the tunnel carrying out stolen goods. 

The main street of Pompeii with Mount Vesuvius in the background. This is an active volcano and the towns surrounding it practice evacuations from their towns and cities.  Why do you think they do this?

The names engraved on the top of the pillars are of the best teachers in Pompeii. What a good idea!! We have the best teachers at our school. Anyone have a chisel?

Here are some of the artifacts removed and stored in Pompeii. Thousands of items are on display. Make sure to put Pompeii on your list of places to visit in your life.