Pompei never ceases to amaze. The Roman city, destroyed by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD. it is always a continuous discovery. The last excavations of the Royal v have in fact brought to light a Thermopoly (Thermopoly) in excellent condition. It is a sort of old outdoor "fast food", where Pompeians used to buy hot food on the street. Regio V is not the only one Thermopoly of Pompei. Over the years, archaeologists have recovered several (approx eighty) but this is the first to be found in excellent condition. This "shop" is located a few meters from the Inn of the Gladiators, between the alley of the house of the Silver Wedding and alley of the Balconies.
Thermopoly of Pompeii: an ancient fast food from the Roman era
The excavations that have brought to light this splendid testimony of daily life from the Roman era began in 2019. Then a part of the counter was discovered with the fresco of one Nereide (sea nymph) with a zither riding a hippocampus (mythological creature depicted as a horse with a fish tail). Further excavations then gave birth to the entire structure, which features other frescoes with still lifes e animals with bright colors. Among these are in fact noticeable two geese upside down, a cock, But also a dog on a leash. The structure, in the shape of "L”, Also has cavities in which some were inserted terracotta amphorae to keep food warm. Precisely in these amphorae archaeologists have found traces of food. An extraordinary discovery that allows scholars to analyze more thoroughly the eating habits of the Pompeians.
In addition to the remains of food, the bones of a small dog next to the counter, but not only. Archaeologists have also found human bones in a bed in the back of the room. According to the first hypotheses, these should belong to a man in his fifties, who died due to the collapse of the attic when the pyroclastic current passed. Of the others human remains they would also have been found inside a large jar, probably placed there by previous excavators (according to some dating back to the seventeenth century).
Opening of the Thermopolium to the public: an Easter gift for visitors
Although the restoration is still in progress, the director of the Archaeological Park of Pompeii, Massimo Osanna, predicts that this new extraordinary discovery will be open to tourists in the coming months. As Hosanna himself stated: "The idea would be to be able to make the Thermopoly of Pompeii open at Easter, allowing visitors to pass through the area of the restoration site of the house of the Silver Wedding, now inaccessible for years.". Also applauded by the Minister of Cultural Heritage and Tourism, Dario Franceschini, for the new discovery: "if you work as a team and everyone does their part well, Italy can build fantastic redemption stories. Pompeii teaches that there are a thousand possibilities of this type of redemption story in Italy. It is a great present and a great past".
Pompeii, like many other sites in Italy, can tell us a lot about who our ancestors were, the era they lived in and the society they built. Italy is confirmed once again a casket of unexplored treasures, which just need to be found thanks to the work of archaeologists and experts who study our past with dedication and commitment. The new Thermopoly of Pompeii will surely be one of major attractions of the archaeological area, hoping that the vaccine against Covid-19 is soon available for the entire population and allows us to return to travel and visit the wonders of our country.
