A chariot buried in Pompeii is almost intact; archaeologists have provided perhaps the best example of this important item of Roman culture. However, it is lucky in the world – the robbers wanted to steal the tunnels dug in the city cemetery on either side of the chariot. The robbers probably carried valuables, but lost the big prize. The discovery is a formal four-wheeled chariot. Volcanic tombs mineralize wood components, and have since preserved impressions of soft parts such as ropes since iron structures and bronze and tin decorations – which may have driven in other situations – have preserved almost entirely.
One of the most horrific villas buried by Vesuvius was the chariot at the stables of Civita Giuliana. Three buried horses have already found at the site, one still under its protection. A statement from Pompeii Archaeological Park claimed, “The chariot represents a unique find – one that has never been paralleled in Italy – it is in a great state of conservation,” a statement from Pompeii Archaeological Park claimed. The park described its existence as “miraculous” as the chariot broke two walls and a ceiling of the house during the fire, but failed to crush the vehicle. However, in the process of excavation, the miracle work could easily be undone.
Archaeologists are still struggling to gather enough evidence before reaching the conclusions about the location of the long-lost organic matter. The entire chariot has now moved to the park’s laboratory. Roman chariots, including Pompeii, found earlier, but the Sivia Giuliana chariot is something different, used for festivals and parades. This work of art depicts a companion and a nymph, possibly suggesting the possibility that the chariot used in the wedding ceremony to transport the bride. Some small presentations, however, make it very clear that they would hardly considered suitable for such purposes nowadays, giving the expression “chariot of fire” a new meaning.
The closest comparative discovery is a chariot found in a cemetery in northern Greece 15 years ago, but it also much less decorated. The city of Pompeii buried in volcanic ash after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in CE79. Tragedy for the city’s population created as a gift from historians and archaeologists, giving the Romans an insight that we could never have achieved in any other way.
Despite more than two centuries of systematic excavations on the site, the discovery of the chariot and the recent outdoor restaurant, which reflects the Roman taste in fast food, are major discoveries that keep Pompeii’s wealth away from fatigue. Unfortunately, people are willing to pay a lot of money for these discoveries, keeping them away from the rest of the world. Where there is a market there are people willing to supply them illegally or unethically.
The thieves pulled over unused parts of Pompeii and who knows what the theft was. Park authorities have teamed up with the public prosecutor’s office in Torre Annunziata to try to catch the culprits, working overtime to secure them at promised sites before they stolen. Among other things, this means working every weekend from the weekend to January when the presence of the chariot was first marked to secure before the piece removed.
