The recent collapse of a 2,000-year-old house in the ancient Roman city of Pompeii has once again highlighted the sad state of repair of many historic sites in Italy. The 430-square-foot house was used by gladiators to train before going to fight in a nearby amphitheater. The house was also used to store weapons and armor. The gladiator?s house was most likely built toward the end of Pompeii?s life and was partially destroyed in WWII after which it had undergone some repairs.
The only injury was perhaps to Italian pride at having one of its main tourist attractions make the news for the lack of upkeep by the government or private donors. The collapse of the house underscored a controversy in Italy over the lack of maintenance at Pompeii.
The office of Pompeii's archaeological superintendent said the collapse occurred Saturday, (November 13, 2010) at around 6 a.m. Attendants opening the site saw the collapse about an hour later.
The house located on Pompeii?s main street, called by the Latin name "Schola Armaturarum Juventis Pompeiani," was closed to the public, and could only be seen from the outside. It was not considered at risk of collapse, officials said.
Antonio Varone, director of Pompeii's excavations, told the ANSA news agency that officials were trying to "preserve up to the last fragment of the 'Schola Armaturarum."' The Culture Minister, Sandro Bondi, said some frescoes on the lower walls may have been preserved. Bondi called for greater funds for Pompeii, while the opposition was quick to blame the government.
There was no official word on possible causes. News reports said water infiltration following heavy rains in the past days might be the cause.
If you think back to your High School World History class you may recall that Pompeii was destroyed in A.D. 79 by an eruption of nearby Mount Vesuvius that killed thousands of people and buried the city in 20 feet (six meters) of volcanic ash. As deadly as the ash was, it gave Pompeii eternal life by preserving the ancient cities treasures. The preservation of Pompeii?s artifacts has provided much information about what life was like at the time of the eruption.
Source: http://www.amoretravelguides.com/blog/ancient-house-in-pompeii-collapses.php
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