The city of Pompeii, buried by a volcanic eruption in 79 AD, was rediscovered in the late 16th century. Early excavations were really more of a treasure hunt than what we would call archaeology today, but more organized digs continued from the 18th century until about one hundred years ago. The site, a city that was once home to more than 20,000 people, is huge and only about two-thirds of it has been uncovered. Very little new digging took place during the 20th century – most of the past century has been about trying to preserve and protect the the buildings, objects, and frescos that were uncovered in earlier excavations.

That all changed this year, and archaeologists are exploring new areas. Some of the most recent finds include:

• Two houses, with vivid frescos
• The remains of a horse, complete with saddle and harness

As well as a few finds that I mentioned earlier in the year.

Tags: Pompeii

Google has added the ruins of Pompeii to their collection of street view images, so now you can walk the streets of the ancient city without even leaving your living room.

Tags: Archaeology, Pompeii