Sites re-opened at Pompeii
The House of Apollo
Ten buildings in Pompeii have reopened to the public as of August 4; they include eight domus (upper-class homes) and a bath complex, with a caldarium and frigidarium as well as a changing room where there are sixteen panels with depictions of erotic scenes, including one portraying two women, almost unique in Roman painting, The spa is believed to have been privately opened and is housed in a structure that at the time looked out on the sea (Pompeii today is much further inland).
The sites had been closed because of a lack of personnel but as of this month 30 new attendants have been hired. The re-opened houses include the prestigious House of Apollo, with frescoes depicting scenes from the mythology surrounding the god, and the Lararium of Achilles, which takes its name from the paintings showing the final episodes of the Trojan War, such as the duel between Achilles and Hector. The 30 new employees welcome visitors and provide historical, artistic and archaeological information about the buildings, including in English. Their duties include protection of the archaeological treasures on view and ensuring compliance with site rules and safety regulations.
The agreement underwriting the hiring of additional personnel was signed on July 28th by the Superintendent of Archeology for Pompeii, Herculaneum and Stabia and the ALES company which provides the day-to-day management of the site. It follows an earlier meeting between European and Italian Culture officials that underwrote the new 100 million euro Grande Progetto Pompei (GPP) which is supposed to restructure, enlarge and better protect a world-famous site that in recent years has been astonishingly neglected.
