Pompeii & Herculaneum Conservation and Restoration

Conservation and Restoration of Pompeii and Herculaneum

Pompeii and Herculaneum, once two flourishing Roman Cities destroyed by Vesuvius in the year 79AD. Today, excavations that have been occurring since the mid-18th century give an incite to what life consisted of almost 2000 years ago and continue to fascinate and intrigue archeologists and historians involved with the site today. Although great wonders have appeared from the ruins, due to the collaborative excavations over the centuries, consequences have occurred that slowly diminish the fate of these great cities of antiquity. From carless excavation tactics to everyday tourism, restoration and conservation is an essential aspect if these sites are expected to outlast the human and environmental impacts that have been thrusted upon them. Not only is it the responsibility and expectation of the Italian government to preserve theses magnificent locations, it is also the responsibility of International organizations, as the site of Vesuvius is a world heritage listed site and also a cultural heritage for much of the western world.

There are many responsibilities shared amongst the conservation and restoration of Pompeii and Herculaneum, these responsibilities not only fall upon the Italian government, the international community also holds responsibility as the location falls under a world heritage listed site and the cost of conservation and restoration is too large for the Italian community to uphold.

Pompeii remained mostly untouched until 1748, when a group of explorers looking for ancient artifacts arrived in Campania and began to dig. Since this day, the city has begun to die its second death. Natural elements such as weathering and erosion have effected the deterioration over time, along with the carbonized remains deteriorating in days once exposed to the air. Human activity deliberate and accidental has also majorly affected the decline of Pompeii. Inflicted damage such as graffiti and...