Pompeii: A Life-Changing Experience
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Isn’t there supposed to be ash around here?
Pompeii was one of the greatest things I have ever seen in my life. For some reason, I thought that there wasn’t much to see there, that pretty much everything was still covered in ash and they had managed to pull some bodies out of the ground. I came expecting a dead city, buried under the ground and hiding more than it revealed.
I could not have been more mistaken. What I found when I got there was an intact city, completely uncovered and full to the brim with phantom images of days past. The roads, buildings, and public areas there completely filled my imagination with what the lives of the people who once lived there must have been like. Never has history been more real to me- not in all the classes I have taken, books I have read, or movies I have seen.
Eerie Similarities
We walked down streets with wheel marks running down them, saw the ancient equivalent of restaurants, entered a public bath, and even a brothel (which was pretty offensive to female dignity.) Streets in Pompeii have the equivalent of crosswalks- three large stones that pedestrians could use to cross the street without having to step into dirt and grime. The smallest things, like the dents in the houses’ entryways into which a wooden staff was placed and leaned against the door, “locking” it, made the biggest impression on me. Here were the day to day objects that seldom get mentioned in textbooks, here were the things that made people truly passionate about history. Seeing how similar the basics of my life are to the lives of the people who once lived in Pompeii filled me with the desire to learn more about them, to uncover the root of humanity that connects me to them.
Frozen in Time
While most of my experience at Pompeii was invigorating, there were some very somber moments. Seeing the preserved body of a pregnant woman, lying on the ground and trying to protect her baby, was something I could not easily put out of my mind. The figures we saw, preserved for thousands of years, were haunting in their humanity. I could imagine citizens’ desperate attempt to escape before their homes were overtaken by a wall of ash and pumice; their cries, prayers, and attempts to protect their loved ones. I imagined the still figures moving, imagined hearing the sounds of them reassuring each other that they could survive if only they ran a little farther. I reality of their forms is something I will never forget, and a strong reminder that all history is about real people, who lived lives just as real as my own.
Surprisingly Modern Ancient Cultures
A couple days later we went to the archeological museum in Naples, where almost all of the mosaics and artifacts from Pompeii are kept. These incredibly preserved objects and pieces of art were almost as amazing as seeing the city itself. Mosaics with incredibly detailed depictions of religious events, bones carved into dice, glass containers, and scissors were among the remarkable things we saw while we were there.
Seeing these things from thousands of years ago, I realized just how advanced cultures in the past really were. We have made great advances in modern times, especially in the fields of electronics and machinery, but when we make a pair of scissors they look almost identical to those made long before us. When we were in Venice and saw Murano glass, many of the designs looked strikingly modern- yet there in the museum, I saw glass jars and vases with the same styles. These small objects connected me to the past with an intensity that I have never experienced before.
Worth the Trip
If you ever have the opportunity to see Pompeii, take it. If the opportunity never arises, create one. This place put the Roman Forum and even the Colosseum to absolute shame, in my opinion. Seeing the city has made all the struggle and hard work on the trip absolutely worth it; I can only imagine what the rest of the trip will be like if I see more things as astounding as Pompeii was to me.
As a small side note, the metro ride from Naples to Pompeii featured the most beautiful and impressive graffiti I have ever seen. It was truly amazing, although in a different way than Pompeii. 
Posted on: October 7, 2010 | Categories: Archaeology, History, Italy
Dearest Jenny, Your description of Pompeii and the wonders you experienced there is phenomenal. I feel as though I was able to walk there with you, even though I am sitting watching the birds in Accord. I am in awe of your writing ability. I am so happy for the priceless experiences you are having. I love you more than you could ever know, and I can’t wait to see you and the rest of my family in India!
Dear Jenny, You will never know how much Grandpa and I enjoyed reading about your adventures in Pompeii. Your beautiful and articulate writing made us feel that we were there with you. We are glad that you had this chance to experience this because it will be with you forever. We love you and miss you and can hardly wait for those infamous hugs All our love and God Bless you, Grandma and Grandpa.
Ah, Pompeii. Did you make your way down the Via Stabia? It may not mean much outside of Latin class, but when I went there I was actually able to see the house of the man we were studying. Also, isn’t the view from the forum of Vesuvius beautiful and yet eerie at the same time?
I’m glad you had such a great time!!!