Friday, 29th February 2008 (1331 views)

Gold artefacts preserved after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius are being displayed at a new exhibition in Texas.

The Houston Chronicle observes that Pompeii: Tales from an Eruption explores the "great irony" of a natural disaster that preserved so many cultural artefacts - gold objects among them.

Curator Frances Marzio told the publication that much of what we know of the culture of the Romans is derived from Pompeii.

The exhibition features some 240 objects from Pompeii, including heavy gold bracelets, armour and doctor's instruments.

A woman discovered near the Harbor Gate of the city was reportedly clutching a gold statue of Mercury, the god of safe passage.

"These objects were preserved by a volcano. I don't want to lose them on my watch," said Ms Marzio.

Mount Vesuvius is the only volcano on the European mainland to have erupted within the last 100 years.

 

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