Pompeii murals Exhibition - A City in Ash Telling a 2,000-Year Story
In A.D. 79, Mount Vesuvius stopped time in Pompeii. Daily life—its stones, colors, and prayers—was sealed beneath ash and pumice. This article reads the city as a tragic time capsule through its stones (basalt, tuff, limestone, marble, pumice), its craft (fresco & mosaic), and its polytheist faith (temples & household shrines).
A.D. 79 Eruption — Mechanism & Damage
The eruption unfolded in phases: initial pumice fallout collapsed roofs, followed by pyroclastic surges/flows that devastated the city. Fatalities likely resulted from a combination of toxic gases, extreme heat, and fine-particle inhalation, indoors and out.
Brief Timeline
| Year | Moment |
|---|---|
| A.D. 79 | Eruption of Vesuvius buries Pompeii and Herculaneum. |
| 1748– | Systematic excavations begin and continue to expand. |
| 1997 | Inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List (ID 829). |
| 2012–2019 | Great Pompeii Project stabilizes and conserves high-risk areas. |
| 2024 | Pompeii site records 4,069,377 visitors; daily cap of 20,000 admissions introduced late in the year. |
World Heritage Facts & Visitor Numbers
| Detail | |
|---|---|
| UNESCO inscription | 1997 (Criteria (iii), (iv), (v)) |
| List ID | 829 |
| Period | 1st century BCE to 1st century CE (buried in A.D. 79) |
| Location | Campania, Italy (south-east of Naples; Vesuvian plain) |
| Management | Archaeological Park of Pompeii; Archaeological Park of Herculaneum; villas at Torre Annunziata included in the serial property |
| Annual visitors | 4,069,377 (Calendar Year 2024, Pompeii site; Vesuvian sites total 4,177,753) |
| Visitor management | Daily admissions cap 20,000 with time slots during peak season (since Nov 15, 2024) |
By the Numbers - Population, Victims, UNESCO & Visitors
- Population: estimated ~11,000–20,000 residents around A.D. 79.
- Victims: human remains discovered number in the low thousands, many killed by ash, toxic gases, and heat.
- UNESCO World Heritage: the archaeological areas of Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Torre Annunziata were inscribed in 1997.
- Tourism today: approximately 4 million visitors/year; peak-day management often caps entries around 20,000/day.
Stones of Pompeii - Basalt, Tuff, Limestone, Marble, and Pumice
Pompeii is not a granite city. Its urban skeleton combines local volcanics and Roman technique: basalt for streets, tuff for walls, limestone and marble for finishes and prestige, and pumice as the very ashfall that buried it.
| Stone | Primary Role | Preservation Strength | Weakness / Caution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basalt (lava) | Street paving, curbs, stepping stones | Extremely hard; cart ruts endure for centuries | Polishes slick when wet |
| Tuff (tufo) | Walls, arches, infill | Light, workable; enabled rapid growth | Porous; vulnerable to water & salts |
| Limestone | Blocks, wall finish, decor | Highly workable; expands technique options | Weathering and pollution staining |
| Marble | Temple veneers, thresholds, sculpture | Polishable luster; expresses civic prestige | Prone to later reuse or spoliation |
| Pumice / ash | Burial medium (eruption deposit) | Seals out air/light; aided conservation | Roof collapse & structural overload during the event |
Why Frescoes & Mosaics Survived - Fresco Technique & Ash Burial
Roman fresco is painted into wet lime plaster (coarse base → intermediate → marble-dust finish). As the plaster carbonates, pigments bond chemically to the wall. Ash and pumice then sealed interiors from air, water, and light, preserving frescoes and mosaics “as of that day.” Once excavated, conservation balances “cover and protect” with “display and access.”
Plaster Casts — How Archaeologists Recreated the Final Moments
Some victims remained as voids in the ash where bodies decomposed. In the 19th century, Giuseppe Fiorelli and others pioneered plaster casting: pouring plaster into those cavities to record posture, clothing folds, and sometimes small objects—an unflinching human record rather than mere display.
Polytheism in Daily Life — Temples & Household Shrines
Pompeii was a polytheist city. Temples to Jupiter/Juno/Minerva and Apollo stood near the forum, alongside the Temple of Isis. At home, lararia (household shrines) honored protective deities; walls often show offerings and divine symbols.
Photographer’s Note — Context of These 11 Photos
All images were shot on August 24, 2016 at the Nagoya City Museum exhibition. They emphasize technical details—plaster layering, retouch fills, repeating friezes, the vivid “Pompeian red,” and narrative compositions—so readers can “read” technique as well as beauty.
FAQ
Q. Is Pompeii mainly marble?
A. No. Streets are Vesuvian lava; walls are Campanian tuff and Roman concrete with stucco and fresco. Marble and travertine appear mostly as veneers and details.
Q. How long does a typical visit take?
A. The main circuit takes 3–4 hours. Add time for frescoed houses, the amphitheatre, and Villa of the Mysteries. Peak dates may use timed entry and a 20,000 daily cap.
Stonehenge and the Spirit of Stones
Keywords: Pompeii, AD 79 eruption, Mount Vesuvius, plaster casts, volcanic tuff, basalt streets, Roman fresco, mosaics, UNESCO World Heritage, Pompeian red.
Last updated: 2025-08-26 (JST)