Pompeii: a “rare” 2000-year-old chariot discovered in Roman ruins

A team of archaeologists he found a ceremonial float almost intact in Pompeii, the city buried in 79 by the eruption of the volcano Mount Vesuvius.

Located next to Naples, In the south of Italy, Pompeii is one of the most visited archaeological sites in the world thanks to its remains preserved in excellent condition. On this occasion, archaeologists found the car with its four iron wheels, bronze and pewter decorations, mineralized wood remains and traces of organic elements, such as ropes.

As reported by the Pompeii archaeological park and the Fiscalía de Torre Annunziata, the discovery, of enormous historical value for knowledge of the ancient world, was made in the suburban village of Civita Giuliana, located north of Pompeii, beyond the ancient city walls.

The two Italian entities, working together to combat clandestine looting at the site, said the tank it was found “in excellent condition” in front of the door of a stable where they had already met, in 2018, the remains of three petrified horses.

“It is an extraordinary discovery for the advancement of knowledge of the ancient world. In Pompeii they were located in the past transport vehicles, like that of the house of Menandrianus, or the two cars found in Villa Arianna, but nothing like the car of Civita Giuliana», He assured Massimo Osanna, director of the Pompeii archaeological park.

“It is a float that it was not used for daily use or for agricultural transport, but to accompany festive moments, parades and processions of the communitySaid Osanna.

For his part, the Minister of Culture Dario Franceschini, said the archaeological site will continue to amaze the world for years to come. “Pompeii continues to surprise with its discoveries and will continue to do so for many years to come. with twenty hectares still to be excavated. But above all it shows that it is possible to promote it, it is possible attract tourists from all over the world and at the same time, it is possible to carry out research, training and studies, ”he said.

In addition, the Minister stressed that the collaboration of different departments “prevented the theft and illegal trade of such extraordinary discoveries“.

The chief prosecutor of Torre annunziata, Nunzio Fragliasso, he assured that “the fight against looting of archaeological sites, both inside and outside the urban area of ​​ancient Pompeii, is undoubtedly one of the priority objectives ”.

The project aims to “stop the depredation of cultural heritage by illegal immigrants who had practiced several tunnels in the region to intercept archaeological treasures“, In addition to” bringing to light and saving from theft one of the most important cities of the Vesuvian territory “.

On January 25, the archaeological site of Pompeii revealed several treasures discovered during the latest excavations, including intriguing amulets. In a box, archaeologists found dozens of talismans, rings and figurines of ivory, bronze, ceramic and amber which apparently were not enough to protect the city from the fury of the volcano Vesuvius.

At the time of the inauguration of Antiquarium, the renovated museum featuring bronze statues, frescoes, gold and silver jewelry, Osanna explained where these strange elements came from. “This is one of the most curious things that we discovered during our research: amulets that appear to have belonged to an individual who used magic“Said the specialist.

There are still other mysterious elements to discover because archaeologists have only revealed a third of the huge site spanning 44 hectares. “In the Antiquarium are some of the most important objects discovered since the 19th century. The museum takes you through centuries of Pompeii history, until the fateful day of the rashOsanna pointed out.

In December of last year, archaeologists announced the exceptional discovery of a thermopolium, a sort of fast food stall from ancient Rome decorated with polychrome prints and in an incredible state of preservation.

THE NATION