Pompeii snack bar discovered in remarkable condition after being preserved in volcanic ash for almost 2,000 years

Archaeologists have discovered an ornate snack bar in Pompeii in excellent condition after being buried in volcanic ash when Mount Vesuvius erupted in AD79.
By Beth Murray
Published 27th Dec 2020, 15:46 BST
Pompeii snack bar discovered in remarkable condition after being preserved in volcanic ashPompeii snack bar discovered in remarkable condition after being preserved in volcanic ash
Pompeii snack bar discovered in remarkable condition after being preserved in volcanic ash

The incredible site was partially exhumed last year but researchers continued to work and revealed the find in all its beauty this weekend.

The frescoed thermopolium, or snack bar, was buried under volcanic ash and pumice when Mount Vesuvius erupted in AD79, killing between 2,000 and 15,000 people.

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The snack bar features lots of incredibly detailed polychrome patterns and images, the latest discovery being a number of still life scenes, including depictions of animals thought to have been on the menu.

A fresco bearing an image of a Nereid nymph riding a seahorse and gladiators in combat had been unearthed previously at the siteA fresco bearing an image of a Nereid nymph riding a seahorse and gladiators in combat had been unearthed previously at the site
A fresco bearing an image of a Nereid nymph riding a seahorse and gladiators in combat had been unearthed previously at the site

The discovery has also offered scientists a unique chance to learn more about the gastronomic habits of people in the town before the eruption struck.

Fragments of Duck bones were found at the site, along with the remains of pigs, goats, fish and snails.

Crushed fava beans, used to modify the taste of wine, were even found at the bottom of one jar.

Massimo Osanna, director general at the Archaeological Park of Pompeii, told Ansa news agency: “As well as bearing witness to daily life in Pompeii, the possibilities to analyse afforded by this thermopolium are exceptional because for the first time we have excavated a site in its entirety.”

Pompeii snack bar discovered in remarkable condition after being preserved in volcanic ashPompeii snack bar discovered in remarkable condition after being preserved in volcanic ash
Pompeii snack bar discovered in remarkable condition after being preserved in volcanic ash

Human remains of a man believed to have been about 50 were also discovered at the site near a child’s bed.

Mr Osanna added: “The counter seems to have been closed in a hurry and abandoned by its owners but it is possible that someone, perhaps the oldest man, stayed behind and perished during the first phase of the eruption.”

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