PILLARS OF POMPEII

THE PILLARS OF POMPEII
By Maria Concepcion Panlilio

ANATOMY OF A RESSURECTED CITY



On August 25, 79 AD, a long-dormant volcano named Vesuvius came back to life with a cataclysmic eruption that buried the Roman city of Pompeii. The eruption is the first well-documented major volcanic eruption in the world. Nearly twenty thousand people were trapped and buried in hot volcanic ashes and poisonous gases. Those who tried to escape to the sea were suffocated to death. Nearly two thousand years later, archaeologists excavated petrified corpses scattered all over Pompeii. It would become one of the best archaeological finds in history.

Today the belly of Mount Vesuvius still churns with the same primordial forces that unleashed such fury. She rests in a delicate topographic repose but vulcanologists are acutely aware that its yielding crust can crumble like a flaky cookie at any time.

(Right: The author steps back in time as she sets foot on the ancient soil of Pompeii. Beyond the pillars of Pompeii, in the background, Mount Vesuvius looms over the excavated remains of this ancient city.)

In the shadow of Mount Vesuvius lies the splendorous landscape of a once thriving Roman city discovered in 1789 by a grave digger. But the majestic mountain’s frangibility is not a mystery to modern Pompeii residents who are forever haunted by the memory of a destructive force that consumed thousands of lives. One thing is certain: in an instant Mt. Vesuvius could once again bury the old Pompeii, as well as the new Pompeii on top of it. If and when that happens, however, we can also take comfort in the knowledge that vulcanology is an advanced science, which could predict a cataclysmic eruption well in advance, affording the inhabitants sufficient warnings to evacuate in advance, therefore saving many lives.

Leaving my footprint on an ancient soil

I’ve lived in several places abundantly postulated with volcanoes, of which many lie within the Ring of Fire, including the Philippines, Hawaii and the Pacific Northwest–-places of geographical and biological wonders. Since I first witnessed a major volcano eruption early in my youth (Taal Volcano in Batangas, Philippines), I have been obsessively fascinated with volcanoes. Hence, while touring Italy recently, I had to include a tour of Pompeii in my itinerary.

As I stepped back in time and walked the streets of this wondrous place, I was taken by the tumultuous and delicate land created by Mount Vesuvius. Wandering through the cobbled stone streets of Pompeii and feeling the essence of this once vibrant and thriving Roman city simply took my breath away. Thanks to the extraordinary work of the archaeologists who first discovered the lost city in the 1700s, we now have a better perception of Pompeii’s life and history. The Pompeans lived extremely well; a society advanced and progressive, with lavish houses, theaters, multi-culturally influenced art, life-size sculptures in marble, bronze and terracotta, basilicas and temples, ( even bars and brothels), made Pompeii a haven for wealthy Romans.

Pompeii is only partially excavated, and centuries of exposure to the elements could lead to disintegration and further decay; therefore, preservation has become a major concern for the scientists who continue to work and protect this resurrected city so that it lives forever.