The Story beyond Pompeii












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            * The Story beyond Pompeii
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            When we think about archaeology in Italy, we automatically think about Pompeii and Hercula

            defined topic in schools, the basis of TV programmes, books and films, it is what the medi
            some tiny article to at the back of their newspaper. But, as Dr Girolamo Ferdinando de Sim
            on: ‘The Dark Side of Vesuvius: Archaeology beyond Pompeii and Herculaneum‘ (Faculty of Ar

            www.ff.cuni.cz/home/"] , December 11) demonstrated to me, there is a whole territory undis
            unknown, a mystery about to be unravelled by de Simone and his team.
            De Simone set up the Apolline Project in 2004 in order to investigate the northern slopes 

            territories known as Nola and Neapolis, to unearth the story of the people who lived and d
            side, and the impact of the famous eruptions here. Of course, we all know the AD 79 erupti

            many of us don’t know, de Simone points out, is that there were actually several more erup
            a dramatic effect on these ancient settlements. In this sense, de Simone claims that our p
            area is actually incomplete and misled: we always look at certain regions and certain time

            is a whole story beyond these. There has been a dominant assumption that the northern slop
            were deserted, and a lack of comprehensive maps on this area.
            But an archaeological revolution is forming under the Apolline project: De Simone’s team h

            almost the entirely of the Roman baths here, and a number of villas in the town of Pollena
            team were able to discover evidence of volcanic material from the AD 79 eruption, which pr
            complex was built in the years after the eruption and so, contrary to popular belief, the 

            did not destroy all life in the area. The discoveries of the project have been extensive a
            beneficial to the overall archaeological understanding of the whole area of Vesuvius. For 
            brick stamp imprinted onto a tile lining the bath, was able to tell these archaeologists o

            of the Domitti family, a famous Roman family who had produced this very stamp. Discoveries
            new questions to light: for example, the discovery of two young children buried inside two
            vessels usually used for transporting wine, remains a source of wonder to its discoverers.

            project has only just began, and there is much left still to learn.
            The most important feature of the Apolline project’s discoveries, however, is the awarenes
            the fact that the story of Vesuvius is not yet told. There is a whole other side, until no

            undiscovered, and a whole new mystery waiting to be unravelled.
            A topic that sparked my interest from de Simone’s lecture was the lack of funding and oppo
            archaeological investigation. These projects are incredibly beneficial to our learning and

            and thus of great importance to society. They deserve to have the financial opportunity to
            to full extensive ability. The local participation the Apolline project offers is impressi
            opens the sites every year for locals to visit. Educational trips are set up for school st

            and learn the story as it unfolds and progresses. Archaeology, in recent years, has not be
            credit that it deserves. There is a reason we only know of Pompeii and Herculaneum. There 
            before this lecture, I had not even been aware of the Apolline Project. These projects des

            space in the media and the public eye, enabling them to gain better support. If we are to 
            we ought to know the whole story, not just part of it.