Archaeology: Grab a hot snack in Pompeii

The archaeology of Pompeii continues. If you have visited Pompeii you may have seen a small food shop such as the one above in a Bazzani watercolor. Pompeii’s current active area, Regio V, gives us a grander, more complete termopolium, a hot food and drink snack shop. (For another recent archaeological find in Regio V, look here.)

The street-facing shop in Pompeii has brightly colored frescoes depicting the various animals cooked into the dishes. The beautifully detailed paintings include chickens, ducks, and seafood (complete with an ocean deity, I think). Check out the CNN article for the photos of this gorgeous artwork.

The ceramic pots stowed in the serving counter had traces of pork, fish, snails and beef. They also found wine flasks and amphorae.

This kind of food shop served as essential access to prepared foods for many in Pompeii (or in any Roman city) because the poor often didn’t have access to a kitchen or any cooking facility. Thus this small, well-preserved shop, the latest offering from the archaeology of Pompeii, gives us a vivid window into daily life of ordinary Romans. Click here for CNN “Ancient snack stall uncovered in Pompeii, revealing bright frescoes and traces of 2,000-year-old street food”