Pompeii's History from Structural Reuse

The people of Pompeii had no idea what was to come. As ash fell upon their city, their lives were encapsulated in the volcano's ash. Decades later, archaeologists attempt to interpret the remains to understand how this economic power functioned. From the houses of officials to small inns, most of the city has been kept intact.

Pompeii had a complex economy, with bakeries, dyers, oil sellers, wine makers, and fish venders. The constant import and exports from Pompeii were substantial and helped to make the city wealthy. As the population in Pompeii grew, so did their profits. In rediscovering this ancient city, the initial clearance of the area plays an important role in determining the use of an area. Pompeii’s civilians used a similar practice to the inhabitants of Matera. As Pompeii grew and the need for specific shops increased, spaces that became obsolete would be built upon or reused for a new purpose. This reuse of buildings makes it difficult for archeologists to determine the most recent use of the area without surrounding artifacts from the time of the explosion.

The change in the area does not mean a new use however. One building, named “The Soap Factory,” had shallow tanks that’s purpose could not be identified. Archaeologists also found indications of blacksmithing in the area. At the last stage of the building's life, the space held waterproof tanks, which could be used for the same reason. In addition, they have found a ceramic vessel in the area with an unclear use. As part of the spaces previous function, little artifacts surround the vessel to indicate its purpose. The vessel bottom was sunk into the ground and held bronze remains, it is thought that the vessel was a support for this missing bronze piece. The remains also held foreign rocks and pebbles. It is still unclear the vessel's importance, however researchers can determine it was not a hearth based on the design.

In another inn, residual matter of metal was found. These specific particulates are common from blacksmith practices. As the blacksmith hammers and shapes the metal, small pieces scatter. With a magnet, researchers were able to define the location that the blacksmith’s anvil had previously been. No artifacts of blacksmithing were located, meaning the space was last used as an inn. Hand sized hearths also indicated that the area used to be a blacksmithing house.

Continuing, researchers have also found waterproof tanks. These tanks were thought to be used for an undetermined wet industry. With little artifacts we can only determine how the space was transformed. The first vessel was about 1 meter long and located in the northern most inn. With a cocciopesto floor, we know the area was well used. Cocciopesto was a utilitarian cement used in areas of heavy traffic. The tank was eventually covered by an inn's bar. 

In the Southern end, two tanks sit between the House of the Vestals and a bar complex. The larger tank is 1.6 meters deep and waterproof. The tank was leveled for the creation of a bar. The second tank was smaller and shallower. The smaller tank had a mortar covering, opposed to the previous two tank's waterproof layer. The southern tanks were filled with garbage, however we know this is not because the area was created into a dump. A large hole between the two tanks contained pozzolana, which is largely composed of lime. Lime was important because it was a key ingredient in Pompeii’s more recent architecture. The area was most likely converted to help in constructing more buildings.

Over all, the remains of Pompeii give us a deeper look into the culture of a strong economy and the way Pompeii developed over time. It is important for us to discover more about past civilizations because we can learn from their success and failure. In many ways, the situations of the past recur throughout every civilization, and being able to look at past cultures teaches us how we can adapt in the future. In conclusion, Pompeii gives great insight into how a city can leverage structural integrity to incorporate a growing population without using needed farmland through their reuse of buildings.