Pompeii
The city of Pompeii is located in Western Italy, near Naples in the region of Campania. On August 24th, 79AD, during the city's most prosperous time, the great Mount Vesuvius erupted and buried Pompeii under twelve layers of ash and 30 feet underground. The city was accidentally found in 1748 in surprisingly preserved conditions due to the lack of air and moisture that could reach below the ash. The remains of food markets, mills, small restaurants, villas, frescoes, and amphitheaters have given archaeologists a clear glimpse of what life was like in the first century. Modern day Pompeii is Italy's most popular tourist attraction with 2.5 million visitors a year.

Fun Facts

• Pompeii was buried for 1,600 years.


• Pompeii was found accidentally by the architect Fontana, who was trying to dig a new course for the river Sarno in1599.


• In three layers of sediment under the lava bedrock, archaeologists used carbon dating in animal bones, pottery shards, and plants to find out how old the city really is.

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Pompeii