How was Pompeii so well preserved?

Where is Pompeii? It is located on the east coast of Italy, near Naples. Pompeii was founded in the 8th century BC and was part of Greece. Later, it came under Roman rule. Today it is best known for the disaster that occurred there in AD 79. What happened to Pompeii?

Vesuvius, located northeast of the city, erupted. In the process, the volcano covered the city with ash. Mount Vesuvius has erupted more than 50 times in recorded history. However, the volcanic event of AD 79 was the worst and deadliest on record.

In AD 79, there were approximately 12,000 people living in Pompeii. There, they could have visited cafes, shops, bathhouses, or a large arena. Many wealthy Roman citizens owned homes there. The city also has upcoming elections.

However, all this came to an end when Mount Vesuvius erupted. It blew a cloud of ash, rock and gas into the sky. This caused many people in the area to flee. People hundreds of miles away saw the volcano erupting. However, some people in Pompeii were left behind forever, either unable or unwilling to leave.

The eruption destroyed nearly everything within 15 miles of the volcano. In Pompeii alone, 2,000 people died. Thousands more died in surrounding areas. When it ended, Pompeii was buried under millions of tons of ash and rock.

Excavations of Pompeii began in 1748. When explorers excavated the city, they realized that much of it was well preserved. Protected by the ashes that destroyed it, the city seems frozen in time. Most of its buildings are still standing - several still bear messages from political campaigns and other graffiti. Everyday items like pottery and even some food have been preserved.

Today, archaeologists continue to discover the ruins of Pompeii. However, they face the challenge of preserving the city's remains. Natural disasters, weather events and hordes of tourists threaten the monument. Conservation measures have come a long way in recent years.

Today, approximately one-third of Pompeii remains underground. The part of the city that has been excavated is heavily guarded but open to tourists. In 1997, the city was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, giving it greater protection.