Latest news with #MountVesuvius
CNN
16-07-2025
- CNN
Erotic mosaic, stolen by German officer in World War II, returned to Pompeii
An erotic mosaic stolen from Pompeii by a Nazi captain during World War II was finally returned to the ancient site on Tuesday. Featuring a man reclining on a couch being attended to by a scantily clad woman, the small mosaic may have decorated a bedroom floor in a Roman villa, the Pompeii Archaeological Park said in a statement. When Pompeii was destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, its buildings, thousands of inhabitants and this mosaic were buried beneath layers of ash and pumice. This coating perfectly preserved the city for more than 1,600 years, making it one of the most important archaeological sites in the world as it offers an unprecedented insight into Roman daily life. For example, despite dating from between the late 1st century BC and the 1st century AD, this mosaic is still brightly colored, with all its tiles still intact. By World War II, many areas of Pompeii had already been uncovered. This mosaic was stolen by a Wehrmacht captain who oversaw Germany's military supply chain in Italy during the war, the archaeological park said. He gave it to an unnamed German citizen whose heirs contacted the Italian police, asking how they could return it, the park added. A specialist unit of Italy's police, responsible for protecting the country's cultural heritage, then investigated the mosaic's provenance, tentatively tracing it back to the area destroyed by Mount Vesuvius, although certain information about its discovery was missing. 'Every looted artifact that returns is a wound that heals, so we express our gratitude to the Protection Unit for their work. The wound lies not so much in the material value of the work, but in its historical value; a value that is severely compromised by the illicit trafficking of antiquities,' Gabriel Zuchtriegel, director of the Pompeii Archaeological Park, said in a statement. 'We don't know the artifact's exact provenance and likely never will,' he said, adding that the park will conduct further tests to piece together the mosaic's history as much as possible. The mosaic will be temporarily displayed at a museum in Pompeii for public viewing. Erotic art has been discovered in Pompeii before. Archaeologists uncovered a tiny house filled with elaborate — and sometimes racy — frescoes in October 2024; another house covered in raunchy frescoes reopened to the public in January 2023 after being closed for 20 years; while another fresco, depicting an erotic scene from the Greek myth of Leda and the swan, was uncovered in 2018. CNN's Barbie Latza Nadeau contributed reporting.
CNN
16-07-2025
- CNN
Erotic mosaic, stolen by German officer in World War II, returned to Pompeii
An erotic mosaic stolen from Pompeii by a Nazi captain during World War II was finally returned to the ancient site on Tuesday. Featuring a man reclining on a couch being attended to by a scantily clad woman, the small mosaic may have decorated a bedroom floor in a Roman villa, the Pompeii Archaeological Park said in a statement. When Pompeii was destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, its buildings, thousands of inhabitants and this mosaic were buried beneath layers of ash and pumice. This coating perfectly preserved the city for more than 1,600 years, making it one of the most important archaeological sites in the world as it offers an unprecedented insight into Roman daily life. For example, despite dating from between the late 1st century BC and the 1st century AD, this mosaic is still brightly colored, with all its tiles still intact. By World War II, many areas of Pompeii had already been uncovered. This mosaic was stolen by a Wehrmacht captain who oversaw Germany's military supply chain in Italy during the war, the archaeological park said. He gave it to an unnamed German citizen whose heirs contacted the Italian police, asking how they could return it, the park added. A specialist unit of Italy's police, responsible for protecting the country's cultural heritage, then investigated the mosaic's provenance, tentatively tracing it back to the area destroyed by Mount Vesuvius, although certain information about its discovery was missing. 'Every looted artifact that returns is a wound that heals, so we express our gratitude to the Protection Unit for their work. The wound lies not so much in the material value of the work, but in its historical value; a value that is severely compromised by the illicit trafficking of antiquities,' Gabriel Zuchtriegel, director of the Pompeii Archaeological Park, said in a statement. 'We don't know the artifact's exact provenance and likely never will,' he said, adding that the park will conduct further tests to piece together the mosaic's history as much as possible. The mosaic will be temporarily displayed at a museum in Pompeii for public viewing. Erotic art has been discovered in Pompeii before. Archaeologists uncovered a tiny house filled with elaborate — and sometimes racy — frescoes in October 2024; another house covered in raunchy frescoes reopened to the public in January 2023 after being closed for 20 years; while another fresco, depicting an erotic scene from the Greek myth of Leda and the swan, was uncovered in 2018. CNN's Barbie Latza Nadeau contributed reporting.
The Sun
09-07-2025
- General
- The Sun
Inside DOOMED Mt Vesuvius villa destroyed by volcano blast where famed Roman emperor may have died 2,000 years ago
THE luxurious but tragedy-stricken villa where the first Roman emperor, Augustus, is believed to have died has been unearthed after 2,000 years. Researchers from the University of Tokyo say there are a number of clues that suggest the posh villa belonged to Augustus, who lived between 63 BC and 14 AD. 5 5 5 The 3,650-square-meter villa located at Somma Vesuviana, at the northern foot of Mount Vesuvius, was destroyed on the day of the eruption in 79 AD. The famous buried city of Pompeii was located on the mountain's southern slope, and was also completely destroyed by the same eruption. The ruins of the villa, which were buried under a thick layer of volcanic ash, reveal luxuries only afforded to the ultra-wealthy at the time - namely, a private bath. It boasts five large furnaces, which are presumed to have heated an enormous bath. That number of furnaces has been called an exceptionally rare find by the archaeological community. Carbon found inside the furnace dates back to around the first century, and suggests they went cold not long after. "There has never been a case where five large furnaces have been excavated from an Italian site," Mariko Muramatsu, professor of Italian studies at the University of Tokyo, said. 5 Muramatsu, who began an archaeological survey of the site in 2002, added: "It makes sense as an explanation that no one else but the emperor could make such a magnificent feat possible." The researchers noted that Augustus, who held immense power as the founder of the Roman Empire, may have used the building as a guesthouse. That many furnaces would have heated a significant amount of water, which may have even been used to entertain influential guests. "It is almost certain that they were used to heat a large amount of water for a huge bath facility," said Masanori Aoyagi, former commissioner of the Agency for Cultural Affairs and professor emeritus at the University of Tokyo. The researchers also said the bath was out of use around the same time Augustus died in 14 AD, and what appeared to be a large temple was later constructed on the site. 5 Augustus' grave has never been found, but ancient records say he passed away at his villa northeast of Mount Vesuvius. Accounts from that period also say a memorial was built there in memory of his accomplishments - but the precise location of that villa has remained a mystery. Despite the lack of conclusive evidence, researchers say another clue supporting their theories is the fact that the site is located more than 200 kilometres from Rome. "Augustus built a guesthouse with a huge bath beyond Roman citizens' scrutiny in a bid to show his greatness to aristocrats and military officers and have them feel the Pax Romana (Roman peace) in the bath," said Aoyagi, who served as the first project head of the research team. The research team has already begun excavations on the south side of the furnace in hopes of finding the remnants of ancient bath water. A brief history of the Roman Empire Here's what you need to know... The Roman Empire began shortly after the founding of the Roman Republic in the 6th century BC It reigned for around a thousand years until the fall of the last Western emperor in 476 AD During this time, the Romans ruled over many countries in Europe and parts of Africa and the Middle East At its height, 90 million people lived in the Roman Empire It evolved from a monarchy to a democratic republic to a military dictatorship and then was finally ruled by emperors One of the most well-known Roman leaders is Julius Caesar, famously assassinated in 44BC He is largely credited for his military mind and laying the foundations for the Roman Empire The spread of the Roman Empire into Britain in around 55 BC has had a lasting impact on our lives today Latin, straight roads, underfloor heating and the spread of Christianity are all attributed to the Romans
CBS News
26-06-2025
- Science
- CBS News
How AI is helping unravel mystery of ancient scrolls buried in Mount Vesuvius eruption
AI is helping to solve an ancient mystery involving Mount Vesuvius. Here's how. Artificial intelligence is helping to solve an ancient mystery from the Roman Empire involving scrolls from a library that was buried when Mount Vesuvius erupted. The eruption of Vesuvius in A.D. 79 not only wiped out Pompeii, but also the nearby town of Herculaneum. Deep beneath the surface where a villa previously existed, archaeologists in the 18th century found 1,800 papyrus scrolls in the only ancient library in the world that is still intact. Attempts to unravel some of the scrolls ended in ashes as the library was carbonized, Brent Seales, a computer scientist from the University of Kentucky, explained. "People didn't understand what they had. So, some scrolls were actually thrown away or burned and you can't put Humpty Dumpty back together again," Seales said. Archaeologists in the 18th century found papyrus scrolls in the only ancient library in the world that is still intact. CBS News But thanks to 21st-century technology, experts are now able to examine those still intact. That technology involved a particle accelerator in England. Scientists produced light that was 10 billion times brighter than the sun, much like an X-ray. AI was then used to identify ink, no matter how faint. "I thought to myself, if you can use that technology to see non-invasively inside a human body, why can't we see everything inside an artifact like a scroll?" Seales said. Deciphering the scroll They still needed humans to decipher what the letters mean. So Seales launched the Vesuvius Challenge, a global competition offering $700,000 in prize money. Three college students took it home, making history by being the first to extract words from a carbonized scroll, nearly 2,000 years old, that had been virtually unwrapped. Thanks to new technology, experts can examine the scrolls still intact. CBS News With hundreds more scrolls to go, Seales has launched a second phase of the competition. "With AI-inspired methods that are going to usher in, you know, new results that we've not dreamed of, I don't think renaissance is too strong a word," he said. Seales said he believes there could be more scrolls out there as archaeologists are just beginning to scratch the surface. "I believe the Villa of the Papyri, which has not been fully excavated, stands a really high chance of producing more books," he said. "So much remains for us to discover."
Telegraph
25-05-2025
- Telegraph
Why I swapped a two-hour flight to Sardinia for a two-day journey by train and ferry
The sea glittered as we cruised into Naples; Ischia to port, Capri to starboard and the camel-humped profile of Mount Vesuvius ahead. We sat on deck in the spring sunshine and considered our good fortune. We weren't on an expensive cruise but an overnight ferry from Sardinia. When DH Lawrence made a similar journey with his wife in 1921 there were cattle on deck and the crowing of cockerels woke them in their cramped four-berth quarters. By contrast, our quiet twin cabin, high above sea level, had an en-suite shower and a large window. The cost of the 15-hour crossing, including accommodation, Wi-Fi, four-course evening meal with wine and continental breakfast, was just £160 for two. Being early April, a time of year that many Italians still call 'winter', there were fewer than 200 passengers on board the ship – Grimaldi Lines' Europa Palace – with capacity for nearly 2,000. I was travelling back from Sardinia to the UK after a week's holiday with friends. For over two decades now I've chosen not to fly; preferring slower travel. It had taken me 22 hours by train and ferry to reach Sardinia, which I had spread out over two days. Although sleeper trains are having a renaissance across Europe, I prefer to travel by day then check into a hotel for a good night's rest and the chance of some sightseeing before continuing the journey. On day one, a Saturday, I travelled on the Eurostar to Paris, leaving at lunchtime, before taking a first-class seat on the top deck of a high-speed TGV for three hours to Marseille, and arriving at my hotel, the Mercure Centre Vieux Port, just after 9pm. On Sunday morning, I walked to the vibrant old port, not to catch a ferry – that wasn't until the evening – but to sightsee. A glorious food market was setting up and tour boats were heading out to the nearby Frioul archipelago. I hiked to the basilica of Notre Dame de la Garde, for views over the city, to the islands and Château d'If. Later, I swam in the bracing sea and enjoyed a cold beer at a buzzy outdoor cafe in the fishing neighbourhood of Vallon des Auffes. Then it was an hour's afternoon train (£15) along the craggy limestone coast to the port of Toulon, where I took an overnight ferry – £80, including cabin, Wi-Fi and breakfast – to Sardinia. First stop was Ajaccio in Corsica, where dawn rays gilded snow-capped mountains. The only other English voices I heard on board came from a couple from Harrogate who were taking their camper-van to Sardinia for a three-week island tour. Sixteen hours after departing Toulon, we arrived in the northwestern Sardinian port of Porto Torres at midday, and I headed to my guesthouse, Affittacamere da Priscilla. Rosa was my host, with whom I practised Italian. She told me how to find the best nearby beach, Balai, and I was soon flopped on white sand lapped by a gin-clear sea. The next morning it was just a ten-minute walk to the train station for a three-hour ride (£17) through the verdant heart of Sardinia to Cagliari, where I met up with my friends. Six of us enjoyed a week of spring sun and eating and drinking by the beach. Away from our sea-view villa, we wandered around the hilly capital, Cagliari; up marble steps to the bastion that DH Lawrence somehow found 'dreary' and to the city's archaeological museum with its fascinating Bronze and Iron Age sculptures and figurines. We ambled through narrow streets, and at the cathedral – which Lawrence describes as 'baroque and sausagey' – I climbed 80 steps to the top of the bell tower for views across rooftops to briny, flamingo-dotted lakes and the sea. Occasionally there was the scent of orange blossom. We dined al fresco at a restaurant – Impasto – in a square shaded by ficus trees. For the long journey back to the UK, my friend Sue joined me. We joked about the number of animals we might take. There is the option of up to ten pets per passenger on Grimaldi Lines. Dog owners exercise pooches on the top deck, where staff in high-vis vests mop up puddles of urine. There's also a small swimming pool (for humans, presumably) but, being early in the season, it was empty. Less than an hour after the ferry docked in Naples, we were sitting on the restaurant terrace of Hotel San Francesco al Monte with morning coffee and a Vesuvius view. We nosed around the former monastery, where there were strange cave-like tunnels and a meeting room set as if for the Last Supper. There was still a full afternoon to explore the city, so we walked down through the Spanish quarter, its narrow lanes overhung with washing. We stepped into doorways as cars squeezed past and ate at a little pizzeria as Vespas and pedestrians brushed by. In the old town, we hoped to see the veiled Christ sculpture at Cappella Sansevero but it was fully booked. The orange trees and painted tiles of the Santa Chiara cloister provided consolation. The daringly modern facade of the 15th-century church of Gesù Nuovo astounded me. The next morning, before breakfast, I took a funicular up to Morghen, near the hulking presence of St Elmo's castle. I walked back to the hotel, down wide paved steps, a view of Vesuvius framed by graffiti-daubed buildings, a street cleaner sweeping away beer bottles from night-time revellers. Then we took a taxi to Naples Central station for our plush Frecciarossa train to Milan, which reached speeds of 185mph. In first class a steward trundled down the aisle with an espresso machine dispensing caffeine shots to a mostly business-suited clientele heading to Rome. There were views of snow-topped Apennine mountains, the chalky blue Tiber and rolling countryside with cypresses and hilltop villages. We passed under Florence without stopping and before long we arrived at Milan Central. Over 400 miles had whizzed past in four hours and 40 minutes; the train was just one minute late. In DH Lawrence's day, the Italian railway was 'infinitely more miserable' than the British. The opposite seems true today. Our connection to Lugano was waiting. At Chiasso, Swiss border guards walked through the train. Six hours after leaving Naples, we arrived in Lugano, in the Italian-speaking south of Switzerland, Ticino. Continental Park Hotel was a handy five-minute walk from the station with views of lakes and mountains. The next day we had a leisurely breakfast and a stroll in Tassino Park, neighbouring the hotel and full of blossoms. Mountains were wreathed in mist and morning sun sparkled on the lake. At midday we left on a train to Basel. The route took us along the shores of Lake Lucerne, where yachts sailed with a backdrop of Alpine peaks. In buttercup-spattered meadows, cows wearing bells grazed. Soon, I imagine, they will be herded up to high summertime pastures. The route didn't have the drama of the Bernina and Glacier Expresses, with their viaducts, altitude and inclines, but it was gently beautiful, as well as being faster and more straightforward. At Basel, we changed for a train to Frankfurt. It left 25 minutes late. So much for Swiss punctuality. I went to the buffet car. It was predictably expensive – CHF28 (about £26) for a (large) glass of wine with some antipasti – so I opted for a small bottle of beer (£5). We reached Frankfurt six hours after leaving Lugano. Here we took a local train to a small town, Hofheim, to visit old friends. Two days later we continued our journey: a comfortable three-hour train ride from Frankfurt to Brussels followed by the Eurostar to London. Sardinia itself was glorious, but it was the travel there and back that was the adventure. You don't often say that about flying. How to do it The total cost for my journey from Banbury to Sardinia and back was approximately £500, including ferries, first-class trains and some meals. This relatively bargain price was mostly thanks to a 'four-day-in-a-month' flexi-pass from InterRail. I paid just £202 for a first-class pass (compared to £170 for second), meaning comfortable wider seats for train travel of up to 24 hours a day if I wished. Eurostar first class includes preferential check-in and a meal service with wine. Travel to and from your UK home station is included with an InterRail global pass. Seat reservations are mandatory on some trains – generally the faster ones – and add to the cost (Eurostar first-class reservations cost about £35 each way). On days where I was only making inexpensive train trips (Marseille to Toulon and Porto Torres to Cagliari), I paid for these separately to avoid using a pass day. Reservations for InterRail pass holders on Eurostar can sell out several days or weeks in advance during peak season.
