Day 3 – Pompeii and Herculaneum - Sunday, January 5th 2014: David Biar, Carey Taylor & Julius Rohrlach

Today we visited Pompeii and Herculaneum, after a long bus ride to Naples on the only highway that leads in and out of the huge city. We arrived early in the morning to be taken on a tour.

The tour guide showed us all around the ancient city of Pompeii, pointing out interesting places and showing us how modern apartments have been built up around the small excavated areas.

We learnt about how the city was before and during the destruction and the kinds of buildings that existed during the time of ancient Pompeii, such as ‘ye olde McDonalds’ and the differences between the rich and poor houses.

Interesting facts about Pompeii and Herculaneum.

• After earthquakes devastated Pompeii, the fallen walls were replaced with circular bricks rather than the original rectangular bricks to provide extra support against future earthquakes.
•  Horse carts would travel along the same road as the sewage. Cart tracks are still visible today. Among other “phallic symbols” embedded in the ground.
• Women were not to bathe in cold water or go to the gym because it was believed it would affect their ability to reproduce.

David Biar, Carey Taylor and Julius Rohrlach.

Year 10 Students