Nearly 2,000 years after a devastating volcanic eruption destroyed and entombed a thriving Roman city, researchers are turning to the novel technique of digital archaeology to reveal the “lost Pompeii.”
Mount Vesuvius erupted in AD 79, covering Pompeii in a thick layer of molten rock, ash and debris. Some residents fled, while others were killed, trapped by volcanic material. The ghostly ruins, frozen in time, became a tableau that archaeologists have investigated since 1748.
Excavations have revealed the buildings and artifacts hidden beneath the ash, colorful remains of decorative frescoes, and haunting remains of the city’s residents.
But not all of the architectural structures were preserved in Pompeii, leaving researchers with lingering questions about daily life in the ancient, southern Italian city.
Now, a sophisticated combination of remote sensing technology, close-range photography and good old-fashioned archaeological techniques are helping researchers pick out once-hidden clues, revealing aspects of Pompeii that have been lost over time — such as towers, symbols of wealth and power, that might have once shaped the cityscape.
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