Amphitheatre

This is one of several bathhouses found during excavation of Pompeii. Unfortunately, covid regulations have closed many otherwise available spaces.
The 1st picture is the 1st space encountered upon entry. This is the exercise yard where folks worked out, wrestled or otherwise worked up a sweat. The 2nd picture looks at the building housing changing rooms. The decorative plaster on the wall is original.
The 3rd picture looks into the men's bathhouse (closed due to covid). Here are the 3 rooms: hot, tepid and cold that are standard. Of special importance is the ceiling as this is the only original ceiling in Pompeii as it's the only roof that didn't collapse from the weight of the ash from the eruption.
The last picture is an example of what might be the most famous finds here: a plaster cast of someone killed by the eruption. The people killed were buried in the ash which hardened. Over time, the bodies decayed, leaving a hollow space in the ash that formed around them. What we see are plaster casts made by filling the hollows in the ash with plaster. This is said to be a young woman.Read more