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Herculaneum Review

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Herculaneum

Address: Corso Ercolano, a 5-min walk downhill from Ercolano Circumvesuviana station
Phone: 081/8575347
www.pompeiisites.org

Category: Archaeological Sites
Location: Herculaneum

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Fodor's Review:

Lying more than 60 feet below the present-day town of Ercolano, the ruins of Herculaneum are set among the acres of greenhouses that make this area one of Europe's principal flower-growing centers. About 5,000 people lived here when it was destroyed; many of them were fishermen, craftsmen, and artists. In AD 79 the gigantic eruption of Vesuvius (which also destroyed Pompeii) buried the town under a tide of volcanic mud. The semiliquid mass seeped into the crevices and niches of every building, covering household objects and enveloping textiles and wood—sealing all in a compact, airtight tomb.

Casual excavation—and haphazard looting—began in the 18th century, but systematic digs were not initiated until the 1920s. Today less than half of Herculaneum has been excavated; with present-day Ercolano and the unlovely Resina Quarter (famous among bargain hunters for its secondhand-clothing market) sitting on top of the site, progress is limited. From the ramp leading down to Herculaneum's well-preserved edifices, you get a good overall view of the site, as well as an idea of the amount of volcanic debris that had to be removed to bring it to light.

Though Herculaneum had only one-fourth the population of Pompeii and has been only partially excavated, what has been found is generally better preserved. In some cases you can even see the original wooden beams, staircases, and furniture. Much excitement is presently focused on one excavation in a corner of the site, the Villa dei Papiri, built by Julius Caesar's father-in-law. The building is named for the 1,800 carbonized papyrus scrolls dug up here in the 18th century, leading scholars to believe that this may have been a study center or library. Given the right funds and political support, it is hoped that the villa can be properly excavated and ultimately opened to the public.

Make sure to stock up on refreshments beforehand, as there is no food at the archaeological site. At the entrance, pick up a map showing the gridlike layout of the dig. Splurge on an audio guide (EUR 6.50 for one, EUR 10 for two) and head down the tunnel to start the tour at the old shoreline. Though many of the houses are closed and some are in dire need of restoration, a fair cross section of domestic, commercial, and civic buildings is still accessible. Decorations are especially delicate in the Casa del Nettuno ed Anfitrite (House of Neptune and Amphitrite), named for the subjects of a still-bright mosaic on the wall of the nymphaeum (a recessed grotto with a fountain), and in the Terme Femminili (Women's Baths), where several delicate black-and-white mosaics embellished the rooms. Annexed to the former house is a remarkably preserved wineshop, where amphorae still rest on carbonized wooden shelves. On the other side of the house is the Casa del Bel Cortile (House of the Beautiful Courtyard). In one of its inner rooms is the temporary display of a cast taken of two skeletons found in the storerooms down at the old seafront, where almost 300 inhabitants sought refuge from the eruption and were ultimately encapsulated for posterity. The Casa dei Cervi (House of the Stags), with an elegant garden open to the sea breezes, is evocative of a lively and luxurious way of life. The sumptuously decorated Terme Suburbane (Suburban Baths) was closed at the time of this writing, but is well worth a visit if it is open.

Cost: EUR 11; EUR 20 includes 3-day ticket for Oplontis, Pompeii, and Boscoreale
Open: Apr.-Oct., daily 8:30-7:30 (ticket office closes at 6); Nov.-Mar., daily 8:30-5 (ticket office closes at 3:30)

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