What is known

As reported on the website of the archaeological reserve “Pompeii”, the ancient Roman property is being explored as part of protective excavations: the slopes formed between the excavated and yet unexplored parts of the city need to be strengthened. There are traces of wealth and exquisite frescoes in the master’s rooms. The buildings of the mill and the home bakery resemble a cellar where men, women and donkeys are practically bricked up.

According to the diagram given in the electronic excavation log, this part of the house contained a large oven, a millstone for grinding grain and water troughs for animals. Apparently slaves lived here. Holes resembling hoof prints were found in the ground near the giant millstones. The thing is that the donkeys who turned the mills together with the slaves walked blindfolded, and these pits helped them not to lose their way and not to slip on the ground. The slave who turned the millstone also had to drive donkeys and pour grain to grind it.

Small holes in the ground served as signs for donkeys / Pompeii Archaeological Park Photo

Interior of the room for slaves / Pompeii Archaeological Park Photo

The cramped room, also closed with iron bars, with small windows high on the wall, did not even let in sunlight or fresh air: the windows looked into the neighboring room, the doors opened to the atrium (inner courtyard) and even the stable had no access to the street.

In other words, slaves were kept there whose owner deemed it necessary to limit their freedom of movement. This is the most shocking thing about ancient slavery, which lacked both security and the promise of freedom. After all, it is precisely such spaces that help us understand why there are those who find it necessary to change this world.
– says Gabriele Zuchtrigel, director of the reserve.

Such circumstances were not unique; descriptions of them are found in ancient Roman literature. The new archaeological complex confirms written and pictorial sources and gives an idea of ​​what it really looked like.

Interior of the room for slaves / Pompeii Archaeological Park Photo

Interior of the room for slaves / Pompeii Archaeological Park Photo

At the time of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, the building was under renovation and the mill and furnace were not working. However, traces of sacrifice were found on the altar, and the remains of three people were found in the oven – so the house was clearly not empty at the time of the disaster.