Archaeologists in Pompeii have uncovered an ancient construction site shedding light on Roman building methods reminiscent of iconic structures such as the Colosseum and the Pantheon, announced Italy's culture ministry on Monday.
Reuters reports that the site, believed to have been active until the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, yielded significant findings, including tools, stacked roof tiles, tuff bricks, and piles of lime and stones used in wall construction.
(Photo : TIZIANA FABI/AFP via Getty Images)
People (Rear L) visit the archeological site of Pompeii on May 26, 2020, as the country eases its lockdown aimed at curbing the spread of the COVID-19 infection, caused by the novel coronavirus.
Roman Construction Method
According to the ministry, the Romans employed an innovative cement-making process, involving "hot mixing" of quicklime with dry pozzolana, with water added shortly before erecting walls. Collaboration with researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) contributed to these discoveries.
According to experts, the mixture of lime, pozzolana, and stones was still hot due to a thermal reaction, which aided in its rapid drying and reduced the structure's building time.
Archaeologists also discovered other tools such as lead weights used to create a perfectly vertical wall and iron hoes used to make mortar and work lime.
The Pompeii site, rediscovered in the 16th century, has undergone extensive archaeological activity in recent years to combat decay and neglect.
New Frescoes Unearthed in Pompeii
In related news from Pompeii, archeologists made more discoveries earlier this month including lavishly painted frescoes portraying mythological scenes and portraits of women, remarkably preserved even after 2,000 years, CBS News reports.
These recent discoveries also highlighted efforts to decipher the 2,000-year-old scorched scroll from the Vesuvius eruption, offering insights into ancient philosophies and lifestyles.
One of the frescoes depicts a scenario from the Greek myth where Phrixus and his twin sister Helle flee their stepmother Ino on a magical ram carrying the Golden Fleece.
This discovery comes barely a month after scholars successfully decoded a famous Pompeii papyrus using artificial intelligence. The Herculaneum papyri, which consists of over 800 carbonized Greek scrolls, were discovered in a villa supposed to have belonged to Julius Caesar's father-in-law, potentially rewriting significant periods of ancient history.
Pompeii, presently in southern Italy, was a thriving metropolis nearly 2,000 years ago. But in the summer of AD. In 1979, a nearby Mount Vesuvius volcano erupted.
It sent smoke and toxic gases 20 miles into the atmosphere, which quickly spread to the town. Pompeii fell under a blanket of ash almost overnight, along with much of its 10,000 citizens, literature, and architecture, only to be discovered in the 16th century.
Pompeii, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Italy's second most visited tourist attraction after the Colosseum in Rome, continues to fascinate researchers and visitors alike with its rich history and astonishing preservation.
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