Splendid Valuables, the luxury of the ornaments at Herculaneum, through September 30, 2019 at the new Antiquarium in the archaeological site of Herculaneum in Naples, Italy

Splendid Valuables, the luxury of the ornaments at Herculaneum, through September 30, 2019 at the new Antiquarium in the archaeological site of Herculaneum in Naples, Italy. 

Like the citizens of Pompeii, many of the residents of Herculaneum grabbed their most precious possessions, like jewellery, hoards of coins and objects in gold and silver when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 CE and examples of these are now on show in a new museum there. In their respective display cases we can admire perfectly preserved pieces of jewellery like golden bracelets, a necklace of rock crystal, a handful of bronze coins, a finely wrought belt of spun gold, and a pair of gold earrings set with emeralds and pearls, intact but fused by the heat of the holocaust to. Many of the items on exhibit had been worn by the 300 fugitives found in the shallow grottos along the sea shore where they had waited in vain for rescue. Other items include decorative furniture attachments, wall sconces, candleholders, ceramics and serving ware.


Image: Closeup of mosaic from a bath complex in Herculaneum depicting Zeus and Hera 1st century CE.  Photo by Mary Harrsch.

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