Discovery HSC English: Pompeii

2014 Premier Exhibitions, Inc.

Pompeii was buried - although not, as we now know, destroyed - when the nearby, supposedly extinct, volcano Vesuvius erupted in AD 79, covering the town and its inhabitants in many tons of pumice and volcanic ash. The disaster remained in people's minds for many years but was eventually forgotten, until the exploration of the ancient site started in an area called 'Civita', in 1748.
By Dr Salvatore Ciro Nappo, 2011

When Mount Vesuvius erupted cataclysmically in the summer of A.D. 79, the nearby Roman town of Pompeii was buried under several feet of ash and rock. The ruined city remained frozen in time until it was discovered by a surveying engineer in 1748.
By James Owens, National Geographic.

Almost two thousand years ago, Mount Vesuvius erupted covering the occupants of Pompeii in several feet of ash. The city stood still until it was accidentally rediscovered in 1738.

Europeans in the 1700s were fascinated with this ancient city frozen in time by natural disaster. Discoveries such as Pompeii revitalized interest in the Classical art of Ancient Greece and Rome, which could be used to promote universal ideas such as courage and patriotism.