Preserved ceremonial car

Archaeologists near Pompeii discovered a well-preserved hearse. They believe that it was used during festivities and parades. It is decorated with various motifs such as erotic scenes.

The discovery of the ceremonial car is really valuable, both in terms of preservation and decoration. Archaeologists have exaggeratedly named it "Lamborghini". "I am impressed. The cars found earlier were larger and far from sophisticated. This is exactly the thing you just want to find in Pompeii. Well-preserved regardless of its age, "said archaeologist Eric Poehler of the University of Massachusetts.

The finding provoked a huge response. Other archaeologists wrote on Twitter. "I have a jaw on the floor. The discovery of the hearse is truly incredible, "said archaeologist Jane Draycott of the University of Glasgow, for example.

The carriage is made of iron, bronze, tin and wood. It was located at the stables of an old villa about 700 meters north of Pompeii. Earlier, archaeologists found the remains of three horses, one of which was even harnessed. The initial excavation revealed the outline of the car. Experts have worked tirelessly for weeks, even on weekends, to ensure that the carriage is safely removed from the ground. It has many decorative elements such as reliefs depicting erotic scenes with male and female characters.

The archaeological team spent several weeks not only carefully uncovering the find, but also making gypsum castings of all the cavities to preserve the imprint of any organic material that might once have been on the car - including the car's shaft and rope.

"What we found is probably an ancient Roman ceremonial car called the Pilentum, which was not commonly used in agriculture, for example. Only during community festivities, parade parades. We have never found such a beautiful car in Italy. I would compare it to a fifteen-year-old find inside a mound in Thrace in northern Greece. One of the cars here is similar to the one we dug near Pompeii. Although the Greek one does not have such rich pictorial decorations, "said Massimo Osanna, director of the Pompeii excavations.

At the same time, they discovered a network of tunnels through which robbers looted Roman villas. Police have also arrested the thieves themselves, who are already on trial in Torre Annunziata. Chief Prosecutor Nunzia Fragliassa considers the fight against looting to be one of the main goals in order to protect monuments.

Sources: www.bbc.com, https://arstechnica.com/