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Archaeologists Unveil Pompeii Treasure
Yahoo News ^
 | July 18, 2005
Posted on 07/18/2005 1:40:00 PM PDT by NYer
Decorated cups and fine silver platters were once again polished and on display Monday as archaeologists unveiled an ancient Roman dining set that lay hidden for two millennia in the volcanic ash of Pompeii.
In 2000, archaeologists found a wicker basket containing the silverware in the ruins of a thermal bath near the remains of the Roman city, said Pietro Giovanni Guzzo, head of Pompeii's archaeological office.
The basket was filled with the volcanic ash that buried the city when Mount Vesuvius erupted in A.D. 79. When experts X-rayed it, they saw the objects preserved in the ash, which killed thousands of people but kept the town almost intact, providing precious information on domestic life in the ancient world.
Experts have spent the last five years extracting and restoring the 20 pieces of silver that were left behind by their owners as they fled the eruption, Guzzo said as he presented the treasure to authorities and the media in Rome.
During the following months, researchers will study the set and hope to learn more about the city's economic status at the time of its destruction, Guzzo said.
The pieces will then go on display in 2006 at the National Archaeological Museum of Naples, 18 miles north of Pompeii, he said.
TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: archaeology; aristocracy; bayofnaples; godsgravesglyphs; history; italy; pompeii; romanempire; silver; vesuvius
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 Decorated cups and silver platters are displayed after being unearthed from the ruins of the 2,000 year old volcanic eruption of ancient Pompeii is shown in a photo released in Rome July 18, 2005. REUTERS/HO/Archaeological Superintendent of Pompeii
 
1
posted on 
07/18/2005 1:40:01 PM PDT
by 
NYer
 
To: SunkenCiv
    
 The details of one of the decorated cups and silver platters unearthed from the ruins of the 2,000 year old volcanic eruption of ancient Pompeii is shown in a handout photo released in Rome, July 18, 2005. Italian archaeologists on Monday displayed a dining set found in the ruins of a thermal bath in Pompeii, scene of an eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D. which killed thousands while filling and preserving the town with ash. REUTERS/HO/Archaeological Superintendent of Pompeii 
 
2
posted on 
07/18/2005 1:41:26 PM PDT
by 
NYer
("Each person is meant to exist.  Each person is God's own idea." - Pope Benedict XVI)
 
To: NYer
3
posted on 
07/18/2005 1:41:26 PM PDT
by 
redgolum
("God is dead" -- Nietzsche. "Nietzsche is dead" -- God.)
 
To: blam; SunkenCiv
4
posted on 
07/18/2005 1:42:27 PM PDT
by 
Constitution Day
(I am the Sultan of Oom-Papa-Mow-Mow.)
 
To: NYer
    What an incredible find! I'm still trying to find out if the Turkish government flooded a valley which contained some incredible remains of Troy/Constantinople.
 
5
posted on 
07/18/2005 1:45:22 PM PDT
by 
rintense
 
To: rintense
    I'm still trying to find out if the Turkish government flooded a valley which contained some incredible remains of Troy/Constantinople.Naaaah, they flooded the remains of the Ark. :)
 
6
posted on 
07/18/2005 1:46:39 PM PDT
by 
Terabitten
(Illegal immigration causes Representation without Taxation.)
 
To: rintense
    There was just a documentary on television here about Troy - apparently the ruins are still being uncovered. As it turns out, much of the Iliad is correct. 
 
Regards, Ivan
 
7
posted on 
07/18/2005 1:47:17 PM PDT
by 
MadIvan
(You underestimate the power of the Dark Side - http://www.sithorder.com/)
 
To: MadIvan
    Saw that too. 
 
I loved the story of the guy that found it. Talk about an eccentric!
 
8
posted on 
07/18/2005 1:48:33 PM PDT
by 
redgolum
("God is dead" -- Nietzsche. "Nietzsche is dead" -- God.)
 
To: redgolum
    Where's the Made in China label?.........
 
9
posted on 
07/18/2005 1:48:52 PM PDT
by 
Red Badger
(HURRICANES: God's way of telling you it's time to clean out the freezer...............)
 
To: NYer
    Absolutely beautiful. Pompeii is a treasure trove of information for those interested in the past.
 
10
posted on 
07/18/2005 1:48:55 PM PDT
by 
asp1
 
To: Terabitten; MadIvan
    I saw a news report a few years ago that talked of an incredible find not far from modern day Istanbul that contained some incredible (presumably) Roman influenced mosaics. But since the excavation area was set to be flooded for a new development, archaeologists were pleading with the Turkish Gov't to not allow it to happen. Haven't heard one way or another...
11
posted on 
07/18/2005 1:49:35 PM PDT
by 
rintense
 
To: Red Badger
    It's Goblin made. Didn't you see the Black family crest?
 
12
posted on 
07/18/2005 1:52:44 PM PDT
by 
null and void
(You'll learn more on FR by accident, than other places by design)
 
To: NYer
    WOW - I've always wanted to go there to see the ruins. Amazing stuff!
 
13
posted on 
07/18/2005 1:54:46 PM PDT
by 
areafiftyone
(Politicians Are Like Diapers, Both Need To Be Changed Often And For The Same Reason!)
 
To: NYer
14
posted on 
07/18/2005 1:56:33 PM PDT
by 
fanfan
(" The liberal party is not corrupt " Prime Minister Paul Martin)
 
To: SunkenCiv; blam
    Thanks for keeping me on your ping lists. 
 
:-)
 
15
posted on 
07/18/2005 1:59:32 PM PDT
by 
fanfan
(" The liberal party is not corrupt " Prime Minister Paul Martin)
 
To: blam
16
posted on 
07/18/2005 1:59:57 PM PDT
by 
OSHA
(I've got a hole in my head too, but that's beside the point.)
 
To: OSHA
17
posted on 
07/18/2005 2:01:48 PM PDT
by 
Publius6961
(The most abundant things in the universe are ignorance, stupidity and hydrogen)
 
To: MadIvan
    Do you ever watch Time Team on Channel 4? Living here in the U.S., we are limited in the number of programs they show on History Channel International, and the ones they do show are years old. I was able to get a region-free DVD player so I could purchase the Time Team DVD set (best digs from various shows) released earlier this year. I sure wish they would release DVD's of the individual programs. I understand they are in their 13th season. I'm presently reading the Time Team Guide to the archaeological sites in Britain and Ireland. It's a great book. Hopefully one of these days I'll be able to see them first hand.
 
18
posted on 
07/18/2005 2:03:13 PM PDT
by 
mass55th
(Courage is being scared to death - but saddling up anyway~~John Wayne)
 
To: NYer
    Exquisite. Thanks so much for posting this!
And here's a link to the official website for Pompeii :)
 
19
posted on 
07/18/2005 2:04:34 PM PDT
by 
mewzilla
(Property must be secured or liberty cannot exist.    John Adams)
 
To: NYer
    Stunning. Absolutely beautiful!
 
20
posted on 
07/18/2005 2:08:08 PM PDT
by 
reagan_fanatic
("We must be tolerant and understanding of those trying to blow us to pieces" - Ted Kennedy & Co.)
 
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