Campania, Italy

An ancient beach buried by the devastating eruption of Mount Vesuvius nearly 2,000 years ago — 79 AD — on Wednesday (June 19) was reopened to the public after extensive restoration. 

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The beach, as per CNN, is located in the Herculaneum archaeological park, which is believed to be the site where over 300 men waited in vain for rescue by the admiral and illustrious Roman scholar Pliny the Elder.

Restoration work

The beach site, revealed on Wednesday, has undergone years of archaeological excavation and restoration. During this period, significant discoveries were made. As per the report, this included human remains and evidence of the volcanic event.

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Francesco Sirano, director of the Herculaneum archaeological park, stated, "It was not only a restoration work but also a great research work because we know that re-presenting a site, in an open-air archaeological place, also means being able to delve into scientific aspects: we carried out excavations and found remains and the passage of pyroclastic flows that hit the city in 79AD with materials of all kinds."

Amazing archaeological discoveries

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One notable discovery was the "last fugitive" in 2021: a skeleton of a man around 40 years old, found with a bag containing his valuable belongings, likely trying to flee towards the sea.

Unveiling the ancient beach on Wednesday, Italian Minister of Culture Gennaro Sangiuliano remarked, "Herculaneum, Pompeii, Oplontis: we are working on many projects."

He added, "In the budget law we have refinanced the excavations and there are construction sites that are active like never before and are revealing new treasures, which fuel the activity of scholars".

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Emphasising the cultural and economic significance of these discoveries, Sangiuliano noted, "We believe in all of this: in creating, connecting, strengthening this area which UNESCO has also recognized as of great value and which is one of the most important archaeological areas in the world. Because we are convinced that this will represent an opportunity for socio-economic development."

(With inputs from agencies)