Pompeii: Fixing the Bad Fixes?

From the New York Times yesterday, they have this headline: "Undoing the Ruins Once Wrought by Vesuvius" with these highlights: "Though Pompeii is one of the world’s most famous archaeological sites, drawing more than 2.5 million visitors annually, in recent years, the site has most often grabbed headlines when something went wrong. The criticism has made Italian officials bristle, and the culture minister said he hoped the news media would be as enthusiastic in reporting the restoration of 'a pearl.' "

There are lots of interesting details connected with the challenges connected with Pompeii. This article also notes: "Controversy has hounded the caretakers of one of the world’s largest open-air museums practically since it was first excavated in 1748. Exposure to the elements and the wear and tear tourists have proved to be serious challenges to safeguarding the vast site. Restorations completed earlier this year and presented Friday have disclosed the brilliant colors as they existed at the time of the eruption. An international team of experts used both traditional and high-tech methods to restore the mosaics and frescos and supporting structures in the villa during the two-year project."

From European Union (EU), much money has been focused into this site. Background is provided on some of the new techniques being used to restore, protect and fix past attempts to repair these historic treasures. A couple of pictures are shown with this news article.

Full story at:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/21/arts/design/undoing-the-ruins-once-wrought-by-vesuvius.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=second-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

From our Jan. 25-Feb. 20, 2015, Amazon River-Caribbean combo sailing over 26 days that started in Barbados, here is the link below to that live/blog. Lots of great visuals from this amazing Brazil river and these various Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, etc.) that we experienced. Check it out at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157696

Now at 19,983 views for these postings.

Thanks Terry!

We are looking forward to our trip to Pompeii in June. My dad worked for the US government when I was growing up. He was in Naples for quite sometime. He visited Pompeii and sent pictures to us. I have always wanted to go.

When I was 15 he was sent to Greece. We were able to go with him for part of the time, almost a year. While there, my mom took a trip to Venice and of course I've always wanted to go there too. We are going there in June.

I am thankful for all your reports and pictures you post. They are helpful on this trip!

Terry,

Thanks for posting.

Here is a link to the newly restored pictures in the Villa of the Mysteries.

The page is in Italian, but just go down to the box in the middle of the page and click on the zip files named "Villa dei Misteri 20 Marzo 2015 - Immagini 1, 2, 3"

The pictures are amazing.

http://www.pompeiisites.org/Sezione.jsp?titolo=Pompei+20+marzo+2015+-+La+Villa+dei+Misteri&idSezione=6835

The Villa of the Mysteries is one of the most impressive sights at Pompeii. Unfortunately a lot of the shorter tours don't go there -- a real shame.

I hope the influx of new funding from the EU will create some additional progress on preservation at the site. It is a huge place, visited by many, and hard to keep in good shape. The Italian authorities in recent years seem not to have had either the funding or the will to do much about its deterioration.

I've read in the past that Italy spends less of its budget on preserving its cultural heritage than just about any other EU country -- and yet it has more World Heritage sites and treasures than almost any other!

I hope the influx of new funding from the EU will create some additional progress on preservation at the site. It is a huge place, visited by many, and hard to keep in good shape. I've read in the past that Italy spends less of its budget on preserving its cultural heritage than just about any other EU country -- and yet it has more World Heritage sites and treasures than almost any other!

Appreciate these additional follow-ups from cruisemom42, marazul and Melozone. It will be interesting during the coming years to see how this added money from the EU works and if things improve at Pompeii. Having 2.5 million visitors a year is lots of "wear and tear", plus pressures on these historic treasures.

Below is one of my pictures from 1999 in one of these rooms with the vivid colors/graphics on the wall. Maybe super expert cruisemom42 knows which specific home this visual is from. Plus, below are some of my notes I have posted previously from our experience in Pompeii:

Pompeii is super awesome. Why??? It is so unique and historic. It gives you a keen insight about how people lived and operated during that long-ago era. My most memorable moment was in walking into Pompeii and noticing certain grooves in the stone pavement. I asked our guide what caused those marking in the stone. Our guide replied: "That's from the chariots." WOW! It became very, very visual for where we were walking and what had happened here long, long ago.

Visiting the brothel house was also super interesting. Our guide pointed to the seven different visuals on the wall that provided "customers" a choice on what “position” they wished to purchase. They needed to use visuals there as sailors from all of the world visited Pompeii and its port in that era. They didn't speak the local language. Our guide in 1999 noted on one of these seven wall visuals that it was the "Monica Lewinsky position". He noted that people from all over the world touring this site knew what that phrase meant, nodding and smiling, regardless of their language spoken. Interesting little detail and moment for international “sharing”!!!

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Enjoyed a 14-day, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for more info and many pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 103,788 views for this posting.

Here is an example of the art on the walls within a residence in Pompeii. Amazing sites and sights in this historic area.:

That's from the Villa of the Mysteries. The restored colors look cleaner and more vibrant in the new pictures from the Pompeii website.

Yep, marazul beat me to it. That's the Villa of the Mysteries, which is one of the most amazing treasures of Pompeii. It's a great photo to show anyone who thinks Pompeii has less to offer than Herculaneum. ;)