WALKING WITH THE POMEPIIANS

Perspective can do wonders. When we walked through the beautiful ruins at Pompeii, we did not just taste of what life was before the destruction, but we could almost see the civilization come alive, all thanks to perspective.
Weekend Wayfarer Tip:
Don’t just saunter in and have a quick look at the ruins, they won’t mean anything. And don’t just get a guide, get an archaeologist. These are experts, and luckily, we got one who worked there for two years, who gave us a picture on what life was back in the day. Only that will make for an unforgettable experience.

Before we dive in, let us just briefly tell you what happened. In 79 AD, the Mount Vesuvius , which was at close proximity to Pompeii, exploded. Yes, not just erupted but exploded, where the top of the mountain came off. The strong winds pushed the ash cloud towards Pompeii, which annihilated everything in its path. If the winds were blowing in the other direction, Naples would have been wiped out. As Naples thanked its stars, Pompeii faced the wrath.

 

CAST FROM THE PAST

When the excavation began, a genius archaeologist poured a cement mixture over the remains of people, which then took the shape of their bodies. While the skin had withered, the bones were preserved. This cast not only helped in determining the way the bodies were found, but also made way for great information in getting to know the Pompeiians better. For instance, from their teeth itself they could establish that most of the soldiers were in fact Roman.

 

AMPHITHEATRE: THE ORIGINAL COLOSSEUM

Pompeii was the capital city before Rome won the battle and took over. True to tradition, the amphitheatre was built much before the Colosseum, and staged Gladiator fights. Some of the old seats still remain, even after the devastation. Since Pompeii was so close to Mount Vesuvius, it faced a series of earthquakes before the big blast. So, some of the dilapidated areas are not because of the blast, but the earthquakes that were prevalent before. An interesting fact about this amphitheatre is that it boasts of having great acoustics. That’s why Pink Floyd recorded their tracks in the famous 1972 documentary PINK FLOYD – LIVE AT POMPEII, right here. And in fact, as of July 2017, David Gilmour returned to the land of ghosts to perform in front an audience, a first of its kind in centuries. In a way, if you listen carefully, you can almost hear the ‘Echoes’.

SHOPPERS STOP

Pompeii had one main street with shops and houses on either side of it. Now this main street wasn’t meant for walking. There were promenades for that. The main street was used to commute and back in the day, that meant a carriage. Interestingly, the dimensions of this street are the same as used for a railway track now. Imagine that! Also, back in the day the sewage system wasn’t built, so that street became a dumping ground for all kinds of waste. In order to avoid stepping foot in the waste, and to hop on to the other side, these stone steps were built. Now coming to these stores, they had a standard design. It’s what differentiated them from the houses. The basic ones had a step, and the affluent ones had a gate too. While most of them have been destroyed, the archaeologists have managed to find a few in pristine conditions. You can see the marble tops, the interior design and almost reimagine what it would have been like.

JULIA FELIX AND THE POMPEIIAN WOMEN

The house of Julia Felix is one of the centre points of Pompeii. It gives you a glimpse of the aristocratic life of the rich. There are two facets to Julia Felix which are very interesting. Firstly, the house itself. There were pools, a garden and a verandah even before you enter the house. Although a large portion of the house has been destroyed, the archaeologists have managed to recreate it. How, you ask. They have identified the vegetation and design of the house and have rebuilt it to give people a true reflection of what it once was. So, yes, you see the exact garden that stood here centuries ago. Second interesting aspect is the woman herself. Rumour has it that she was a gracious host and was famous for her parties. She was quite the rage, and rightfully so. Communication back then was in the form of writings and drawings on the wall. So, essentially the walls were Yelp or TripAdvisor boards for people visiting Pompeii. Women generally during this era held quite an influence, especially in political campaigns. Even today, there are messages all over the city that testify this statement. For instance, if the town trusted this woman, the politicians back then would use her influence to swing votes. 

There’s a story hiding behind every room, column and wall of Pompeii. Sadly, certain areas cannot be excavated anymore, as UNESCO has declared this a World Heritage Site, and all the monies are only used for preservation. But from whatever is uncovered, you can sense that a thriving civilization resided here. All with its strange idiosyncrasies and unique way of life. While all that remains are beautiful ruins, perspective can do wonders. You see all this in a context, and Pompeii seems alive and kicking. We almost met Julia Felix and laughed at the political messages, and hopped our way across shops and stepped into someone’s house to look at the paintings. Pompeii may have been destroyed in 79 AD. But in many ways even in 2017, it continues to live.