Researchers Uncover a Bathhouse Complex in Ancient Pompeii
2025-01-25
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1Archeological research has uncovered another treasure of the ancient Roman city of Pompeii: a large private bathhouse.
2The explosion of Mount Vesuvius in 70 AD buried Pompeii in thick ash, wreckage, and lava, or hot liquid rock.
3Archeologists are continuing to find remains of the city under the ground.
4The bathhouse was part of a large private house, the scientists said.
5The bathhouse holds a series of rooms that would have provided hot, warm, or cold conditions.
6The art and design of the complex, including mosaic works, also suggest the owner was wealthy.
7"We have here perhaps the largest thermal complex in a private house in Pompeii," said Gabriel Zuchtriegel, director of the Pompeii Archaeological Park.
8He explained that Pompeii's powerful and wealthy set up large spaces at their homes to hold major gatherings for ceremonies and other purposes.
9"It was an opportunity to show the wealth in which they lived and also to have a nice thermal treatment," he said.
10The baths were unearthed in the so-called Regio IX, a large central area of Pompeii Park that is still unexplored.
11Recently, archeologists working in the same area found a bakery, a laundry and two homes.
12They also found the bones of three people who died in the volcanic burst.
13Pompeii was not the only city destroyed in the explosion.
14It also buried the city of Herculaneum.
15Zuchtriegel said wealthy citizens of Pompeii often would first take a bath and then attend a banquet, or a big meal.
16The private thermal complex permitted them to do so together at the home where the banquet was held.
17"There is room for about 30 people who could do the whole routine, and that could also be done in public baths. So there is the caldarium, a very warm environment, and also a large tub with cold water," he said.
18I'm Caty Weaver.
1Archeological research has uncovered another treasure of the ancient Roman city of Pompeii: a large private bathhouse. 2The explosion of Mount Vesuvius in 70 AD buried Pompeii in thick ash, wreckage, and lava, or hot liquid rock. Archeologists are continuing to find remains of the city under the ground. 3The bathhouse was part of a large private house, the scientists said. The bathhouse holds a series of rooms that would have provided hot, warm, or cold conditions. The art and design of the complex, including mosaic works, also suggest the owner was wealthy. 4"We have here perhaps the largest thermal complex in a private house in Pompeii," said Gabriel Zuchtriegel, director of the Pompeii Archaeological Park. 5He explained that Pompeii's powerful and wealthy set up large spaces at their homes to hold major gatherings for ceremonies and other purposes. 6"It was an opportunity to show the wealth in which they lived and also to have a nice thermal treatment," he said. 7The baths were unearthed in the so-called Regio IX, a large central area of Pompeii Park that is still unexplored. 8Recently, archeologists working in the same area found a bakery, a laundry and two homes. They also found the bones of three people who died in the volcanic burst. 9Pompeii was not the only city destroyed in the explosion. It also buried the city of Herculaneum. 10Zuchtriegel said wealthy citizens of Pompeii often would first take a bath and then attend a banquet, or a big meal. The private thermal complex permitted them to do so together at the home where the banquet was held. 11"There is room for about 30 people who could do the whole routine, and that could also be done in public baths. So there is the caldarium, a very warm environment, and also a large tub with cold water," he said. 12I'm Caty Weaver. 13The Associated Press reported this story. Caty Weaver adapted it for VOA Learning English. 14______________________________________________________ 15Words in This Story 16bathhouse - n. a building equipped for bathing 17mosaic -n. the covering of a wall that is made of main small pieces and which shows a picture or design 18thermal - adj. of, relating to, or caused by heat 19opportunity - n. a favorable combination of circumstances, time, and place 20bakery - n. a place for baking or selling baked goods 21laundry - n. a business where clothes or linens are washed 22routine - n. a standard or regular way of doing something 23tub -n. a large, round container big enough to clean clothes or to take a bath in