Archaeologists working at the Insula 10 (Regio IX) excavation site, a core area of Pompeii, have recently uncovered an ancient construction site, which consequently revealed valuable insights into Roman architectural techniques.
A New Discovery Made at the Archeological Park of Pompeii
In a March 25 press release by the Ministero della Cultura, Archaeological Park of Pompeii Director Gabriel Zuchtriegel described the recent archaeological find as "yet another example of how the small city of Pompeii makes us understand so many things about the great Roman Empire, not least the use of cement."
"Without cement, we would have neither the Colosseum, nor the Pantheon, nor the Baths of Caracalla," he added. "The excavations currently underway in Pompeii offer an opportunity to observe almost live how an ancient building site functioned."
The ancient city's demise, now a world-famous chronicle, was due to the eruption of Mount Vesuvius around 79 AD and saw the death of over 2,000 Pompeii residents.
It was only in the 16th century was the city unearthed once more and has been one of the most important archaeological sites in the world since the 18th century.
By 1874, it was launched as an open-air museum, and in 1997, the Archaeological Park of Pompeii was officially designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Now, it welcomes around 2.5 million visitors annually.
The new research endeavor on the ancient construction site involved a collaboration between the park and a team of archaeology researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Italian Minister of Culture Gennaro Sangiuliano was also quoted in the release saying: "I was very pleased when the director of the archaeological park, Gabriel Zuchtriegel, reminded us that never before have so many excavations been active on the site: we can say that this is a record for the last few decades."
Insights on Ancient Roman Construction Techniques
In a separate release by the Archaeological Park of Pompeii, experts said that the construction site may have been active by the time Mount Vesuvius erupted, as piles of tools, lime, and bricks were also found around the site.
In addition, amphorae (lengthy two-handled jugs) were also discovered around the area, which are typically used in processing plaster and cement made using lime, lead weights, and iron hoes.
Researchers also suggest that the "entire insula block," where the construction site was found, was likely to have been receiving "extensive renovation works" as well during the disastrous calamity.
Zuchtriegel added that this may have been a "widespread situation" in the ancient city to remedy the damages that occurred following the "seismic tremors that struck the city," which happened after "the great earthquake" in 62 AD, seven years before the cataclysmic event.
The principal finding made at the excavation site was evidence that "hot mixing" was used in it, a cement-making technique where quicklime is initially mixed with pozzolanic sand (a natural material containing reactive silica) before eventually being mixed or "slaked" with water inside an amphorae.
This meant that the mixture was still hot as it was applied to the walls, mainly due to a thermal reaction, which would have accelerated drying time.
"We are forming a network between research institutions to study the building know-how of the ancient Romans," Zuchtriegel said. "Maybe we can learn from them [and] think about sustainability and reuse of materials."
