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Pompeii continues to collapse
It's an ongoing saga that continues to crumble. In Pompeii, Italy, it appears this Roman ruin may soon be in ruins.According to various sources, this past week it was discovered that a pillar supporting one of the pergolas in the Roman ruin had collapsed after standing for nearly 2,100 years. While the rest of the Pompeii ruin is still standing, after two collapses of part of Pompeii in 2010, a hailstorm of criticism was unleashed over the ability to properly care for the UNSESCO World Heritage site that many consider to be the best preserved Roman ruin on the planet.
The recent collapse of the 7.9 ft tall structure is potentially being attributed to heavy rains and winds that have buffeted the Naples, Italy area in recent days. Many are calling on the country's culture minister Lorenzo Ornaghi to devote greater attention to protecting and preserving one of Italy's most famous treasures.
Once a thriving Roman city of around 13,000 people, the 79 AD eruption of nearby Mt. Vesuvius buried the entire town under piles of ash in an eruption estimated to pack the force of 40 atom bombs.
Here's hoping that the Italian government realizes the importance of preserving such ancient pieces of history, and I hope as many pillars in Pompeii are around for my next visit as are still standing there today.
[Photo: Flickr, Ashley R. Good]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Roberta Schwartz Dec 23rd 2011 8:05PM
Having viisited Pompei twice, I feel the importance of preserving this amazing view of life in Roman times. I have been disturbed by many reports of the Italian government ignoring the signs of decay on this site. Please stop this act of destruction on what should be a World Heritage Site.
P Drennan Dec 23rd 2011 8:11PM
I agree with Roberta. This is a magnificent site that should be preserved for historical purposes and for future generations to actually see and understand more fully than simply reading something in a history book.
John Dec 23rd 2011 8:42PM
I visited Pompeii about two months ago. I was simultaneously astonished at it's beauty and preservation, and dismayed by the rather cavalier way its treasures have been treated. Remember all of those plaster casts of the bodies we saw in National Geographic? You will find them in filthy plexiglass boxes in an open air warehouse protected only by a tin roof and a chain link fence. And if I remember how that process worked, there are human remains encased in those plaster casts. Hundreds of other priceless artifacts just stacked on shelves in the warehouse. The place is managed as a tourist trap, not a world treasure. I enjoyed my trip, but I confess I am amazed that the Italians would have so little regard for a treasure like Pompeii.
kenneth allen Dec 23rd 2011 9:41PM
I travelled to Pompeii in 1974 and Herculaneum in 1977. Both were facinating. However, in Herculaneum, you could walk on mosaic floors where the pieces were coming apart at the edges. If you wanted to get into some of the buildings, you had to pay a tip to one of the guards to open the doors for you. A hell of a way to run an open living museum. The people of Herculano, built above the site, really couldn't care less about what is buried underneath them. They only want to overcharge meals and services for the tourists. Too bad a private company couldn't buy the town tear it down and excavate the entire site and charge enough to keep it restored and in good repair. If they could find the ancient library, that would be a treasure trove of priceless value.
Rene Dec 24th 2011 7:35AM
I understand the romantic feelings these ruins stir in people, and the history of it all, but when I think that in 1000 years people will be digging up my family and saying, "OMG! Wow, look at this! Ancient peoples!", or some old barn will be fought over as a historical piece, I have to shake my head.
artfrankmiami Dec 27th 2011 8:41AM
"the 79 AD eruption if nearby Mt. Vesuvius buried the entire town under piles of ash in an eruption estimated to pack the force of 40 atom bombs."
You meant "of" of course