Current:Home > NewsFresco of possible pizza "ancestor" from ancient Pompeii found at dig site-Angel Dreamer Wealth Society D1 Reviews & Insights
Fresco of possible pizza "ancestor" from ancient Pompeii found at dig site
View Date:2024-12-23 19:15:28
Archaeologists in the ancient Roman city of Pompeii said Tuesday they had found what might have been the precursor to the modern-day pizza depicted on an ancient fresco -- but without the cheese and tomatoes.
A fresco is defined by the Oxford dictionary as "a painting done rapidly in watercolor on wet plaster on a wall or ceiling, so that the colors penetrate the plaster and become fixed as it dries."
The 2,000-year-old painting -- discovered in the middle of a half-crumbled wall during recent digs at the sprawling Pompeii Archaeological Park -- depicts a silver platter holding a round flatbread, alongside fresh and dried fruits such as pomegranates and dates and a goblet filled with red wine.
"What was depicted on the wall of an ancient Pompeian house could be a distant ancestor of the modern dish," said experts at the archaeological park in a statement.
A devastating volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79 buried the city in thick ash, hiding from view its many treasures that archaeologists continue to slowly bring to light.
Pompeii is only some 14 miles from Naples, which the Reuters news agency describes at "the modern-day home of the Italian pizza, a UNESCO-protected food."
The fresco is believed to refer to the "hospitable gifts" offered to guests, following a Greek tradition dating to the 3rd to 1st centuries BC and described by imperial Roman-era writers including Virgil and Philostratus.
The Pompeii park's director, Gabriel Zuchtriegel, said the newly uncovered fresco shows the contrast between "a frugal and simple meal, which refers to a sphere between the bucolic and the sacred ... and the luxury of silver trays and the refinement of artistic and literary representations."
"How can we fail to think, in this regard, of pizza, also born as a 'poor' dish in southern Italy, which has now conquered the world and is also served in starred restaurants," Zuchtriegel added.
The new excavations revealed an atrium of a house that included an annex with a bakery, partially explored in the late 19th century.
"In the working areas near the oven, the skeletons of three victims have been found in the past weeks," said experts at the park.
Archaeologists estimate that 15 to 20 percent of Pompeii's population died in the eruption, mostly from thermal shock as a giant cloud of gases and ash covered the city.
- In:
- Pompeii
veryGood! (1544)
Related
- Vikings' Camryn Bynum celebrates game-winning interception with Raygun dance
- Dancing With the Stars Season 33 Trailer: Anna Delvey Reveals Her Prison Connection to the Ballroom
- Proposals to Build California’s First Carbon Storage Facilities Face a Key Test
- Another Midwest Drought Is Causing Transportation Headaches on the Mississippi River
- Louisiana asks court to block part of ruling against Ten Commandments in classrooms
- Montana miner to lay off hundreds due to declining palladium prices
- How a climate solution means a school nurse sees fewer students sick from the heat
- Consumers are expected to spend more this holiday season
- Beyoncé's Grammy nominations in country categories aren't the first to blur genre lines
- Driver charged with killing NHL’s Johnny Gaudreau and his brother had .087 blood-alcohol level
Ranking
- Cruise ship rescues 4 from disabled catamaran hundreds of miles off Bermuda, officials say
- Dolphins' matchup vs. Bills could prove critical to shaping Miami's playoff fortune
- How a climate solution means a school nurse sees fewer students sick from the heat
- Illia “Golem” Yefimchyk, World's “Most Monstrous” Bodybuilder, Dead at 36 After Heart Attack
- Waymo’s robotaxis now open to anyone who wants a driverless ride in Los Angeles
- Tua Tagovailoa concussion timeline: Dolphins QB exits game against Bills with head injury
- Proposals to Build California’s First Carbon Storage Facilities Face a Key Test
- 1 person shot during scuffle at pro-Israel rally in Boston suburb, authorities say
Recommendation
-
2025 NFL mock draft: QBs Shedeur Sanders, Cam Ward crack top five
-
Dua Lipa announces Radical Optimism tour: Where she's performing in the US
-
Amazon boosts pay for subcontracted delivery drivers amid union pressure
-
Principal indicted, accused of not reporting alleged child abuse by Atlantic City mayor
-
Cleveland Browns’ Hakeem Adeniji Shares Stillbirth of Baby Boy Days Before Due Date
-
Studies on pigeon-guided missiles, swimming abilities of dead fish among Ig Nobles winners
-
Jury awards $6M to family members of Black Lives Matter protester killed by a car on Seattle freeway
-
Police killing of an unarmed Nebraska man prompts officers to reconsider no-knock warrants