A “once-in-a-century” find has been unearthed in Pompeii after lying hidden for 2,000 years.
Archaeologists have discovered a huge private bathhouse – likely the biggest complex in the city – complete with hot, warm and cold rooms, exquisite artwork and a huge plunge pool.
“It’s these spaces that really are part of the ‘Pompeii effect’ – it’s almost as if the people had only left a minute ago,” says Dr Gabriel Zuchtriegel, director of the Archaeological Park of Pompeii, reports BBC News.
Two skeletons were also found in the house and analysis revealed the horrors that the city’s inhabitants faced when Mount Vesuvius erupted back in AD79. They had barricaded themselves into a small room but were killed by the pyroclastic flow – a fast-moving, destructive current of hot gas and ash – that ripped through the town.
The bodies belonged to a high-class woman, between the ages of 35 and 50, who was found curled up in a foetal position on a bed while clutching stunning natural pearl earrings and gold and silver coins. A younger man in his teens or early 20s was also found in the corner of the room.
Analysis of his bones revealed that despite his young age, his bones showed signs of wear and tear, suggesting he was of lower status – possibly even a slave.
“This is a dramatic place, and everything you find here tells you about the drama,” says Pompeii conservator, Dr Ludovica Alesse.
The spa-like complex sits at the centre of a grand residence that archaeologists have slowly uncovered over the past two years.
A third of the ancient city still remains hidden beneath volcanic ash, but this new excavation – the most extensive in a generation – is shedding light on ancient Roman life. Recent discoveries have included a laundry and bakery alongside the large private house.
It is thought that these were all owned by a wealthy individual, possibly Aulus Rustius Verus, an influential Pompeiian politician.
“There are just a few houses that have a private bath complex, so it was something really for the wealthiest of the wealthy,” said Zuchtriegel. “And this is so huge – it’s probably the biggest bath complex in a Pompeiian private home.”
The changing room has vibrant red walls and a geometric mosaic floor inlaid with marble from across the Roman Empire. The hot room, meanwhile, boasted a sauna-like warmth thanks to a suspended floor which allowed hot air to flow underneath.
After taking a dip in the bath, the lucky user would move to the brightly painted warm room, where olive oil would be rubbed into the skin before being scrapped off with a curved instrument—a strigil.
Finally, they would enter the largest and most impressive room – the frigidarium, or cold room.
The large plunge pool at the centre of the room, surrounded by red columns and frescoes of athletes, could accommodate an impressive 20 to 30 people.
“In the hot summers, you could sit with your feet in the water, chatting with your friends, maybe enjoying a cup of wine,” said Zuchtriegel.
Previous discoveries at this incredible housing have included a huge banqueting room with black walls and stunning artwork, as well as a pale-blue intimate room where residents would go to pray to the gods.