Archaeologists have made a remarkable discovery in the ancient city of Pompeii, unearthing an Egyptian ceramic vase in what was once a fast-food kitchen destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. The artifact, a glazed situla, was found in the Thermopolium, or snack bar, in Regio V, offering a rare glimpse into the cultural exchanges that characterized the Roman Empire during the first century AD.
The situla, typically associated with decorative or religious use in elite settings, was repurposed for practical use in the Thermopolium’s kitchen. This finding, announced by the Pompeii Archaeological Park in a Nov. 6 Facebook post, suggests that Egyptian art and religious ideas permeated even lower strata of Roman society. Park officials noted that the vase’s presence in a modest eatery indicates the widespread influence of Eastern cultures and their integration into daily life in Pompeii.
Director Gabriel Zuchtriegel highlighted that the artifact exemplifies ‘creativity in decorating both sacred and everyday spaces’ through the use of objects reflecting the mobility of tastes and religious ideas within the Roman Empire. ‘We see this phenomenon not at an elite level, but in the backroom of a popina, a street food outlet of Pompeii — in other words, at a middle- or lower-class level of local society, which nonetheless played a key role in promoting Eastern cultural and religious forms, including Egyptian cults and, later, Christianity,’ he stated.
Alongside the vase, excavations revealed other significant finds, including cooking tools, wine amphorae of Mediterranean origin, and details about the Thermopolium’s layout. These artifacts illustrate the commercial and cultural vitality of Pompeii as a major urban center in the Roman world.
The discovery adds to a series of recent revelations from the Pompeii Archaeological Park, including the reconstruction of an ancient garden and insights into a family’s last moments during the Vesuvius eruption. These findings continue to expand our understanding of the city’s role in ancient Mediterranean history and the intricate web of cultural and religious exchanges that shaped daily life in the Roman Empire.