Archaeologists unearth Roman ceremonial carriage from villa in Pompeii
Chariot of fire: ‘Almost intact’ Roman chariot found near Pompeii 2,000 years after the city was buried in lava is heralded as ‘an exceptional discovery with no parallel in Italy’
- Carriage was found near the stables of an ancient villa at Civita Giuliana, Italy
- Ceremonial carriage is the first of its kind discovered in the area near Pompeii
- The culture ministry called it ‘a unique find, without any precedent in Italy’
Archaeologists have unearthed a Roman chariot near Italy‘s buried city of Pompeii in a discovery that experts say has ‘no parallel’.
A ceremonial carriage was found at a villa close to the walls of ancient Pompeii, which was buried in a volcanic eruption in 79AD.
The almost perfectly preserved four-wheeled carriage made of iron, bronze and tin was found near the stables of an ancient villa at Civita Giuliana, around 765 yards (700 metres) north of the walls of ancient Pompeii.
Massimo Osanna, the outgoing director of the Pompeii archaeological site, said the carriage was the first of its kind discovered in the area.
Archaeologists have unearthed a Roman ceremonial carriage, which is still preserved in its original shape. Pictured is the front and side of the carriage, with the four large wheels still intact. The curved back of the open topped chariot shows where the passenger would sit.
The chariot can probably be identified as a pilentum, a transport vehicle used in the Roman world by the elites in ceremonial contexts. The curved back of the chariot shows space for seating, and the front where the driver would sit and control the cart drawn by two horses.
Ornate carvings are on the side of the chariot. These would sit directly above the wheels.
The almost perfectly preserved four-wheeled carriage made of iron, bronze and tin was found near the stables of an ancient villa at Civita Giuliana. The image shows the front and side panels of the carriage in more detail, highlights carvings and the artistry the metal welding.
Previous excavations have yielded functional vehicles used for transport and work, but not those used for ceremonies.
Osanna said: ‘This is an extraordinary discovery that advances our understanding of the ancient world.’
He added that the carriage would have ‘accompanied festive moments for the community, (such as) parades and processions’.
The culture ministry called it ‘a unique find, without any precedent in Italy’.
Previous excavations have yielded functional vehicles used for transport and work, but not those used for ceremonies. The image shows the side of the chariot as it was discovered
The chariot was discovered in a porch in front of a stable where, already in 2018, the remains of three equids, including a harnessed horse, had been found. The images show in more detail the build of the chariot from a side on view, and the back seating area made for two people. They also show exactly where the driver would sit in the front of the cart
Pompeii is one of Italy’s most popular attractions and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The image shows the back of the chariot, with the ornate designs highlighting its ceremonial use
Archeologists excavate the site where the carriage was found around 765 yards (700 metres) north of the walls of ancient Pompeii
An image of what the carriage would have looked like when it was in use
Pompeii, 23 km (14 miles) southeast of Naples, was home to about 13,000 people when it was buried under ash, pumice pebbles and dust as it endured the force of an eruption equivalent to many atomic bombs.
About two-thirds of the 66-hectare (165-acre) ancient town has been uncovered. The ruins were not discovered until the 16th century and organised excavations began in about 1750.
‘Pompeii continues to amaze us with its discoveries and it will do so for many years, with 20 hectares still to be dug up,’ said Culture Minister Dario Franceschini.
A rare documentation of Greco-Roman life, Pompeii is one of Italy’s most popular attractions and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT VESUVIUS AND THE DESTRUCTION OF POMPEII?
What happened?
Mount Vesuvius erupted in the year AD 79, burying the cities of Pompeii, Oplontis, and Stabiae under ashes and rock fragments, and the city of Herculaneum under a mudflow.
Mount Vesuvius, on the west coast of Italy, is the only active volcano in continental Europe and is thought to be one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world.
Every single resident died instantly when the southern Italian town was hit by a 500°C pyroclastic hot surge.
Pyroclastic flows are a dense collection of hot gas and volcanic materials that flow down the side of an erupting volcano at high speed.
They are more dangerous than lava because they travel faster, at speeds of around 450mph (700 km/h), and at temperatures of 1,000°C.
An administrator and poet called Pliny the younger watched the disaster unfold from a distance.
Letters describing what he saw were found in the 16th century.
His writing suggests that the eruption caught the residents of Pompeii unaware.
Mount Vesuvius erupted in the year AD 79, burying the cities of Pompeii, Oplontis, and Stabiae under ashes and rock fragments, and the city of Herculaneum under a mudflow
He said that a column of smoke ‘like an umbrella pine’ rose from the volcano and made the towns around it as black as night.
People ran for their lives with torches, screaming and some wept as rain of ash and pumice fell for several hours.
While the eruption lasted for around 24 hours, the first pyroclastic surges began at midnight, causing the volcano’s column to collapse.
An avalanche of hot ash, rock and poisonous gas rushed down the side of the volcano at 124mph (199kph), burying victims and remnants of everyday life.
Hundreds of refugees sheltering in the vaulted arcades at the seaside in Herculaneum, clutching their jewellery and money, were killed instantly.
The Orto dei fuggiaschi (The garden of the Fugitives) shows the 13 bodies of victims who were buried by the ashes as they attempted to flee Pompeii during the 79 AD eruption of the Vesuvius volcano
As people fled Pompeii or hid in their homes, their bodies were covered by blankets of the surge.
While Pliny did not estimate how many people died, the event was said to be ‘exceptional’ and the number of deaths is thought to exceed 10,000.
What have they found?
This event ended the life of the cities but at the same time preserved them until rediscovery by archaeologists nearly 1700 years later.
The excavation of Pompeii, the industrial hub of the region and Herculaneum, a small beach resort, has given unparalleled insight into Roman life.
Archaeologists are continually uncovering more from the ash-covered city.
In May archaeologists uncovered an alleyway of grand houses, with balconies left mostly intact and still in their original hues.
A plaster cast of a dog, from the House of Orpheus, Pompeii, AD 79. Around 30,000 people are believed to have died in the chaos, with bodies still being discovered to this day
Some of the balconies even had amphorae – the conical-shaped terra cotta vases that were used to hold wine and oil in ancient Roman times.
The discovery has been hailed as a ‘complete novelty’ – and the Italian Culture Ministry hopes they can be restored and opened to the public.
Upper stores have seldom been found among the ruins of the ancient town, which was destroyed by an eruption of Vesuvius volcano and buried under up to six metres of ash and volcanic rubble.
Around 30,000 people are believed to have died in the chaos, with bodies still being discovered to this day.
