POMPEI, NEW DISCOVERY IN SCHOLA ARMATURARUM

Vinegars for wine and oil: they emerged during new excavations at Schola Armaturarum. These are intact finds that add new elements to reading the history of the ancient city.

The Schola Armaturarum, now a symbol of rebirth for Pompeii, is undergoing the restoration of the original frescoes that were besieged by the bombing of 1943, since last July, the excavation of backward environments, never before investigated, has also begun.

An amphora deposit, at the time formed by fourteen finds dipped in the lapillo, has been brought to light. It is one of the three environments located behind the famous Schola Armatorarum structure.

The amphorae found intact had to contain oil, wine and fish sauces: an amphora has painted inscriptions in which numbers are read, indicating the quantities, and probably the contained product. Use as a storage of the environment is confirmed by visible graffiti on one of the walls of the environment, which reaffirm the storage activity.

At the end of the excavation, scheduled for December, the amphorae will be relocated in situ within the framework of the widespread project of valorization of the “widespread museum” that the Archaeological Park is adopting in several excavation areas to re-contextualize finds in places of origin.

Until now, the only environment, brought to light by Vittorio Spinazzola in 1915, was the well-known one that was overlooking Abundance. His military public character was clear from the outset because of its large size and decoration (trophies at the entrance and winged and armed figures decorating the walls). However, his exact destination, gun depot or school of Pompeian youth training continues to be unreliable. The excavation of these other environments, which is part of the “Excavation and Research” site, has as its objective the clarification of these aspects.

Exploring the full structure of Schola is not the only intervention planned for Pompeii. There is also the big excavation site in Regio V, the so-called “wedge” (an area of ​​more than 1000m2 in the area between the house of the Silver Wedding and the buildings to the left of the alley of Lucrezio Frontone), from which it is expected to highlight other structures and findings of private and public environments. In this area (on the plateau of regiones IV and V), there will also be provision of an archaeological study laboratory of the finds that will come to light and a deposit for their temporary storage.

“We are happy with the discoveries that are emerging. – says Massimo Osanna, Director of the Archaeological Park – Pompeii started a new season, that of an intense archaeological research and the continuation of the knowledge of the site. After its recovery, through the safe disposal of all its regions, the opening of new restored domus, the return to the enjoyment of entire neighborhoods inaccessible so far, thanks to the recovery of the accessibility of almost all urban streets, one can devote also in excavation activities, alongside planned maintenance and which will provide new hypotheses to the history of everyday life of the ancients, in some cases answering unanswered questions, such as the Schola armatorarum “