HERCULANEUM

Herculaneum, located on the picturesque Bay of Naples, was buried in the same volcanic eruption as its larger neighbour, Pompeii. But while Pompeii was covered by a relatively shallow layer of loose volcanic ash, Herculaneum was submerged in deep flows of hot volcanic mud, which preserved the upper stories of buildings, as well as organic materials like wooden furnishings and foodstuffs.

This oversized volume opens with an account of the city s catastrophic destruction in AD 79, and of the excavations, underway since 1738, that have brought at least a part of its treasures back to light. It then surveys the principal public buildings and private residences that have been uncovered, including the famous Villa of the Papyri, perched to the northwest of the town.