When we left Rome, we took a taxi to the Termini and a train to Naples. We then took a taxi to the car rental at the airport. We flew into Rome but booked tickets to fly out of Naples. Our desire was to avoid traffic in Rome if at al possible. We picked up a rental van and drove to Villa Ada in Sorrento. Villa Ada will be a subject of its own blog to keep things manageable.
The reason we choose Sorrento is that it is close to many of the things we wanted to do near Vesuvius. The villa is high on a hill in an orchard overlooking the bay of Naples. It has a clear line of sight to Mount Vesuvius. It was misty the whole week we were there.
This is a picture from our balcony. Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD and wreaked destruction on the Roman inhabitants in the area. From depictions of Mount Vesuvius found in Pompeii, it was estimated the mount was twice as high as it is today and filled the twin craters that currently exist today. Both Pompeii and Herculaneum were sea ports in 79 AD. There are significantly inland today. The fate of the two towns were drastically different. Pompeii was gradually covered in ash and volcanic debris to a depth of six meters (19 feet). Herculaneum was struck by a pyroclastic flow that happened much quicker and much hotter than the event at Pompeii. Herculaneum was covered by 25 m of ash and sealed by a lava flow. So the two towns were preserved in two different ways, resulting in different artifacts being preserved in each case.
In the foreground of this picture, you can see the roof of the Grand Hotel Presidente.
Herculaneum is approximately straight across the bay and Pompeii is slightly east.
We arranged for a guided tour of Herculaneum with time left at the end to just wander the site. The entrance is on the current street level. The site is less than 20% excavated. The site was supposedly protected but the city grew over the ruins, so it was not well protected. Here we are at the entrance to the current excavations.
You can see how deep the ash was.
Herculaneum was lost until a farmer found some artifacts as he was digging a well. Then the town was tunneled into and looted for its artwork. Some of the tunnels still exist today. Much of the effort today is directed toward preservation of the parts of the town that are currently exposed.
Many of the bodies (skeletons) that have been discovered where found at the boat yards waiting to be evacuated. This area was being worked on during our visit and so was off limits to us the day we were there.
This area was the seashore in 79 AD. The arches were used for boat storage. When the pyroclastic flow hit, it turned wood into charcoal but did not burn away due to lack of oxygen. So in this way many wooden objects were preserved including a boat.
Other wooden structural members were preserved as well as some of the furniture.
A museum is located on site with some of the art work and the possessions of those found in the boatyard.
The remains provide a snapshot into ancient Roman daily life. Here is a wine sellers advertisement.
The big Roman meal of the day was taken in the evening at home. Here is a ‘fast’ food joint. The contents of some of the pots were preserved.
There were frescoes and artworks as an everyday part of life.
Herculaneum had a sewer system with indoor lavatories. The contents were preserved by the eruption. These wastes provided insight into the Romans diets and everyday lives. They are learning more every year.
I enjoyed the visit to Herculaneum and continue to learn new things each time I visit.
Mark, Wink and Meg
Thank you again!