italy

August 24, 79 A.D. KABOOM!

~ Ken Mirvis ~ Leave a comment
From the train.
Entrance to the park with the Mediterranean to the west.
From the ruins.
Mount Vesuvius!
The archways at the far bottom of the right-hand photo were on the Mediterranean shore 2,000 years ago. The skeletons of 300-or-so people were found in those chambers (fornici) waiting to be rescued, still grasping their most prized worldly possessions.



OK. Maybe it was October 24. Pliny the Elder wrote August, but the historians think the evidence points more toward autumn because of stuff like ripe pomegranates. That was almost 2,000 years ago, so who really cares about two months.

Regardless of the exact day, that is when Mount Vesuvius famously blew its stack, covering Herculaneum in “residue from a pyroclastic surge” … to be distinguished from the far-more pedestrian “ash” that covered Pompeii. A “pyroclastic surge,” I am learning, is a toxic brew of gases, ash, and intense heat that has no chance of being survived. The nature of a “pyroclastic surge” left even organic material –– wood, human tissue, and food –– intact and preserved. We ran out of time before we had a chance to visit “The Mostra,” where archaeologists have recreated the Roman diet of 79 and even created Roman recipes, but we did get to spend an amazing day at Herculaneum itself, a 12-acre-or-so archaeological site of unbelievably well-preserved buildings, art, jewelry, statuary, and other sundry antiquities.

In my humble opinion, we are really good travelers, but pretty lousy sightseers. We are way more interested in people than things. In 1978, a few years after I had moved to Boston, I still cared about stuff. At that time, the National Archaeological Museum of Naples arranged an international tour of relics from Pompeii. The Boston Museum of Fine Arts hosted the exhibit for about four months. The experience never left me.

Pompeii and/or Herculaneum were the one must-see sightseeing adventure on the trip. The two sites are right up the road from each other, both at the base of Mount Vesuvius, and both on the Mediterranean. Herculaneum is a tad closer to Naples. Pompeii is about three times larger, but Herculaneum is flatter, easier to walk, and better preserved … and at 12 acres, it is still damn big! Even better, Herculaneum is far less well-known and visited than Pompeii, so we had no crowds to fight at all. Except for a few student groups, we pretty much owned the place.

In the morning, we visited the site’s two “museums,” one of statuary, relics, endless amphorae (wine jugs suitable for traveling long distances), and jewelry, and the other of the fishing and sea-faring culture. When Rebecca got tired after a few hours, we grabbed some lunch and went to our room for a brief rest. When she decided she was too tired to return, I headed back for the rest of the day. It was a good call: the available info calls Herculaneum much more “flat” and “walkable” than Pompeii. Maybe it is. I don’t know having never visited Pompeii, but I would never describe Herculaneum as “flat” and “walkable.” It covers several stories, is paved entirely in rough stone, and has curbs that are one-foot or higher. It’s exhausting!

It was worth every huff and puff. I am just sorry we never made it to the Mostra to learn more about the food and gather up some ancient Roman recipes (which are pretty easy to find on line). Maybe you can drop by some time for some “Moretum” or “Chicken with Garum and Honey.” Enjoy the photos. It was a great dose of antiquity.


The similarities in our lives today and the lives of Romans 2,000 years ago – in art, design, household stuff, personal care, fishing, and so much more – are nothing short of amazing!


The Ruins




Statuary



Friezes



Mosaics and Flooring



Frescos



Bronze

A 2,000-year-old floor lamp. The only difference from today is electricity!



Jewelry



Coins

Clumps of coins as originally found.


Cooking



Tools, Tweezers, and the Everyday



Vials and Glassware



Tiny Art

None of these pieces was more than 1 or 2-inches!



Preserved Wood

Wicker basket



Amphorae

Jugs for carrying wine and other liquids long distances without spilling or spoiling.



Fishing
Aw, c’mon! 2,000-year-old barbed fish hooks identical to the ones in my tackle box!

Net hooks
Barbed hooks
Fishing net inside a wicker basket



The Last Moments … Waiting by the sea to be rescued



The Logo
You explain this one: How in the world did this image become the logo of Herculaneum? He appeared at the end of the day, showing up everywhere in the gift shop: bookmarks, cards, statues, you name it! I asked ChatGPT to identify it and learned that it is a common Roman art piece, often called “Drunken Hercules” and often called “Hercules Urinating” (or, more affectionately, “Pissing Hercules.”) My daughter Joanna was not good with any of those names. Thanks to her, in our house, this classic piece of Roman art is now officially “The Wanker of Herculaneum.” Thanks Jo!

Two Backpacks, One Roller Bag, and a One-way Ticket

~ Ken Mirvis ~ 2 Comments

Labor Day has passed and some of the maples are starting to turn. Fall officially arrives in a couple of weeks. Soon, it’ll be winter. Rebecca and I are busy planning our cold weather escape.

I’ve always wanted to spend a month in Crete. Rebecca never got keen on the idea. So we moved a tad west and north and have settled on Malta, Sicily, and the boot of Italy. Not only have we never been there, we know precious few people who have. Here is what I know: the villages look magnificent. The off-season hotels are luxurious, readily available, and a fraction of their peak-season price. The two official languages of Malta are Maltese and English. We can fly directly to Luqa Malta, and from the airport, no place is more than about 30-minutes away by bus. 

Malta, Sicily, and the toe of the boot of Italy

My good friends Peter and his wife Jody are ridiculous world travelers; they know and love Malta and Sicily but have never been to far southern Italy. My cousin Cooper and his wife Lucy spent a month in Sicily and adored it. Other than my father serving in Foggia in WWII, I don’t know anyone who has visited the far southern boot of Italy. Naples will be way north of our travel range. We’ll go there to fly home and spend a day or two visiting Pompeii … and my father’s time there was not exactly a “visit.”

Malta is the world’s tenth smallest country. Its population of 575,000 is slightly larger than that of the Maldives and slightly smaller than Montenegro. Its land area is 122 square miles. (By contract, Grand Isle County, Vermont covers 195 square miles; from our house, no place in the county is more than about a half-hour away.) It was a British colony from 1813 until 1964, when it gained its independence. Its two official languages are Maltese and English. Language will not be a problem there; too bad they still drive on the damn wrong side of the road!

Early in this decade, conservation efforts successfully re-introduced peregrine falcons to the island. If we are lucky, we may catch a glimpse of a bona fide Maltese Falcon. But, I recently learned, if we want to go in search of falcons, we’d be much better off in New York City. It lays claim to having the largest urban peregrine falcon population in the world. (What better way to manage pigeons, I guess.)

Our first stop will be Marsaxlokk (pronounced marsa-schlock), a very old traditional fishing village with a vibrant year-round Sunday open air market. That will be the only reservation we’ll have when we leave the states. We plan to be “slow travelers,” moving to a new destination when we feel like it, sleeping in guest houses instead of hotels, staying for as long as we want, and meeting as many local folks as we can. The people we meet will be our tour guides, telling us what to visit and helping us plan the next leg of our journey, whatever that might be. We’ll come home at the exact moment we feel like it.

If you happen to be one of the few who knows a bit about Malta, Sicily, the Aeolian Islands, and Italy south of Naples, please be in touch. We really want to pick your brain!

Stock photo of Marsaxlokk harbor. Our room will have a view.