In this post, I am showcasing the ruins of the ancient city of Pompeii in Italy. As many of us know, Pompeii was a Roman city which was completely buried in volcanic lava & ash after a cataclysmic eruption of the nearby Vesuvius volcano. The eruption took place in 78AD and was rediscovered in 1748 (source: Wikipedia). Since then it has captured the imagination of many, and became a subject of many a book & movie (most famously, The Last Days of Pompeii).
I visited Pompeii as part of my trip to Italy in March, 2005. Since it is not very conveniently served by public transportation, we took a guided tour from Rome. Our guide was a colourful character - animated, alive and with a lilt in his voice. I love the way most Italians speak English, with their soft 't's and almost musical accent.
The shot above is of the Forum of the city of Pompeii, with the Lattari Mountains in the background. It was the social, political and religious center of the city. The shot below offers a tantalizing & touching insight into how little time the citizen of Pompeii had before fate struck them a cruel hand. When Pompeii was excavated, the archaeologists poured Plaster of Paris into the cavities left where human bodies once had been. Then they broke open the natural casts formed by ash & lava, and found shapes like the one below.
The two shots below illustrate how the houses of ancient Romans used to be. Well to do families had a open courtyard in their houses, quite literally the center of all activities in the home (first photo below). The second photo below shows a kitchen hearth, preserved almost intact under the ash.
The last one is my personal favourite. This is an ancient zebra crossing to allow pedestrians to cross the road. Note how the stepping stones have gaps between them to allow the chariot wheels to pass through - ingenious!
6 comments:
Waoww.. nice one.. It reminded me the book “Last days of Pompeii” – I haven’t read this one but our geography teacher in school told us the story. The shots are amazing but not exceptional :-).
My experiences in Italy is limited to a quick trip of Rome and a visit to the Vatican City.
Nice post on the ruins of the city of Pompeii. Your pictures are crisp, clear and beautiful. I especially loved the Forum of the city of Pompeii.
Nice perspective - especially the bit about the chariot wheels!
Have a great time during the Pujas.
Really enjoyed the saga of the Hogwarts pandal ....
@ Pijush - Yes, this was when I was still a 'casual amateur' in photography and these are mere touristy snapshots :-)
@ Celine - Yes, I have been to Rome & Vatican City too. I was bowled over by the art collection at Vaticans - especially The Last Judgement inside Cistine Chapel.
@ David - Thanks for your wishes. Really looking forward to the Pujas. The Hogwarts episode was a new twist this year :-) Will post photos from the Pujas right here.
WoW...some beautifully captured shots with lovely lighting & the colours...Have a very nice time during the Pujas...stay well!
Super photos.
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