The city of Pompeii, buried beneath the ashes of Mount Vesuvius for nearly 1700 years, is one of the most well-preserved examples of a Roman-era city in the world. In 79 CE the fateful event occurred that would bury Pompeii and it was not until the 18th century that it would be rediscovered, excavated and restored. But the condition of this archaeological marvel is becoming the cause of much concern from historians and conservationists everywhere.
In November of 2010, a particularly nasty wet season inundated Pompeii
and caused damage to some of the structures there. The Schola Armaturarum (Gladiator’s House) collapsed, as did one of the walls of the House of the Moralist. Though the cause of this damage was obviously the heavy rains, people are grumbling and steaming about the way the Italian government is failing to keep the site properly restored and protected against such acts of nature. This debate has gotten so heated that the previous Italian culture minister even resigned because of it.
Luckily, UNESCO is stepping in to make sure that this historical treasure is not threatened. They will be offering up experts who will guide and direct the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage
and Activities in their restoration and maintenance of the site. Despite tight economic times, Italy will be footing the bill for all the repairs and improvements that need to be made. This cooperative will be working together for the next 9 months on the project, which should hopefully be enough time to get things back in order. UNESCO’s experts will also be providing a plan for the Italian agency that it might better maintain the site for future generations.
