Herculaneum
Ercolano
Italy · Campania
In brief
Organic materials such as wood and papyrus were also preserved at Herculaneum, which was buried in the eruption of AD 79. The first tunnel excavations took place in 1709, and systematic excavations began in 1738.
What was found?
- 1Scrolls of the Villa of the Papyri
Carbonized papyrus scrolls were found in the villa; they include philosophical texts in Greek. The finds document the importance of Greek thought and private libraries in the Roman world.
- 2Wooden furniture and building components
Wooden elements such as furniture, doors, stairs, and partition walls have been preserved. These materials, which decay under normal conditions, allow the furnishings of houses and woodworking to be studied.
- 3Human remains on the ancient shoreline
Skeletons of people who died in the eruption were found along the former shoreline. Examination of these remains provides information about the health and living conditions of the city's inhabitants.
- 4Wax writing tablets
Some of the tablets contain legal documents. They allow commercial and social relationships in the city to be traced through individuals and transactions.
- 5Central Baths
The monumental and richly decorated bath complex is well preserved. It shows the arrangement of communal spaces in the Roman city.
What does it point to?
Herculaneum is one of the rare sites where wood, food, and written documents have been preserved alongside stone buildings. This variety allows domestic life, reading culture, and legal relationships to be studied together.
What did it teach us?
- It provided direct evidence of wooden objects and building components used in Roman houses.
- It documented that Greek philosophical texts were collected in a private library.
- It enabled research into the health and living conditions of ancient city inhabitants through human remains.
Images
Record
- Culture
- Roman
- First modern dig
- 1709
- Coordinates
- 40.8060°, 14.3482°
Sources
- whc.unesco.org
- en.wikipedia.org
- Herculaneum Arkeoloji Parkı – Organik Buluntular
- Herculaneum Arkeoloji Parkı – Papirüsler Villası
Nearby excavations
- Pompeii 13 km
- Paestum 70 km
- Hadrian's Villa 183 km
- Roman Forum 197 km
- Ostia Antica 202 km
- La Marmotta Lakeshore Settlement 225 km
- —
- —
- 12.000
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All excavation sites (395)
Türkiye
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- Aspendos
- Assos
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- Aşıklı Höyük
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- Çayönü
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