New find throws light on life of slaves in Ancient Rome's Pompeii

Rome (Reuters) – Archaeologists have uncovered a small bedroom in a Roman villa near Pompeii that was likely used by slaves, shedding light on their marginalized status in the ancient world, according to the culture ministry on Sunday.

The room was discovered at the Civita Giuliana villa, located about 600 meters (2,000 ft) north of the walls of Pompeii, which was destroyed almost 2,000 years ago by a volcanic eruption from Mount Vesuvius.

Inside the room, there were two beds, with only one having a mattress, two small cabinets, and a series of urns and ceramic containers where the remains of two mice and a rat were found.

“These details once again emphasize the conditions of precariousness and poor hygiene in which the lower social classes lived during that period,” stated the culture ministry.

Objects such as furniture and fabric, covered by the eruption’s onslaught of rock fragments, gas, and ash from Vesuvius, deteriorated over time, leaving behind empty spaces in the debris.

By filling these voids with plaster, the original shape and contours of the long-lost materials are revealed, including the outline of a crumpled blanket left on the bed netting.

“It looks like a photograph… However, this is an image from almost 2000 years ago,” commented the ministry.

No evidence was found of grates, locks, or chains to confine the room’s occupants.

“It appears that control was primarily exerted through the internal structuring of servitude, rather than physical barriers and restraints,” said Gabriel Zuchtriegel, the director of the Archaeological Park of Pompeii.

Excavations at the Civita Giuliana villa took place in 1907-1908, and later in 2017, when authorities discovered that the site was being looted by illegal diggers.

Archaeologists noted that part of one of the beds had been destroyed by a tunnel used by robbers to access another section of the villa.

Pompeii and its surrounding area were buried under volcanic ash when Mount Vesuvius erupted in AD 79, resulting in the deaths of thousands of Roman citizens who were unaware they were living beneath one of Europe’s largest volcanoes.

The eruption preserved the city by burying it under a thick layer of ash, which protected many of its residents and structures.

The site has recently witnessed an upsurge in archaeological endeavors aimed at halting years of deterioration and neglect, largely due to a recently concluded €105-million ($115.58 million) EU-funded project.

Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano announced on Sunday that preservation and research efforts would continue.

“What we are learning about the material conditions and social organization of that era opens up new horizons for historical and archaeological studies,” he remarked.

(Reporting by Crispian Balmer; Editing by Christina Fincher)