Archaeologists have recently revealed an Egyptian ceramic vase within a fast-food kitchen in Pompeii, which was destroyed by Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. This discovery offers valuable insights into the cultural exchanges that took place in the ancient city. The vase, a glaze-coated situla, was typically used as a decorative object in gardens and other formal spaces but was repurposed in the Thermopolium, an ancient snack bar, as a kitchen container.
The Thermopolium was destroyed along with the rest of Pompeii during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. While the excavation took place in 2023, the discovery was announced this month. In addition to the vase, the excavation has yielded fascinating details about the Thermopolium, including its service areas and a modest upstairs apartment where the shopkeepers resided. Among the items found in the kitchen were cooking tools and several wine amphorae of Mediterranean origin still in place.
Park director Gabriel Zuchtriegel noted that the vase reflects the owners’ good taste, even in a supposed ‘lower-class’ establishment. This indicates that even within the lower levels of Roman society, there was an integration of cultural and religious influences, including Egyptian cults and, later, Christianity.
Furthermore, the Pompeii Archaeological Park has recently revealed other significant archaeology developments. This summer, an ancient garden in Pompeii was reconstructed with thousands of historically accurate plants. Additionally, new details about a family’s desperate final moments when Vesuvius erupted were revealed through recent excavations.