Three-dimensional reconstructions of Pompeii reveal that the ancient Roman city was once host to multilevel buildings that were more impressive than scholars previously realized. The findings were published as part of a recent study in the archaeological park’s online journal on Monday.
Pompeii Reset, a project that was developed by the Pompeii Archaeological Park and the Humboldt University of Berlin, used digital technology to create the 3D reconstructions of the ancient buildings that were encased in ash during the 79 CE eruption of Mount Vesuvius.
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The project used the House of Thiasus in the Regio IX district in Insula 10 as a case study. The exquisite residential-commercial complex was named for the sacred procession of Dionysus found in the megalography, or large-scale paintings that were uncovered in its banquet hall. The domus is thought to have been previously owned by a prominent 1st-century politician.
In the reconstruction, a 39-foot-tall tower boasts two levels with an internal wood staircase. That staircase would have connected a service room on the first floor to an dining room with windows of the city on the second. Based on wall damage, experts believe the structure likely collapsed during the volcanic eruption.
Researchers used terrestrial and drone laser scanners, structured-light scanning, and photography to construct digital base models. They then identified missing architectural elements such as beam holes, staircases, windows, and ceilings. Missing beams, for instance, were then added virtually and tested for structural plausibility before the final renderings were made.
Other buildings in Regio IX such as the House of the Second Cenaculum and the House of the Painters at Work were also analyzed for the study.
“‘Lost Pompeii’ consists of the upper floors of buildings which are essential to understanding life in the ancient city. By putting together the data in the form of a 3D digital model, we can develop hypothetical reconstructions that help us to understand the experience, the spaces and the society of the time,” Pompeii’s director, Gabriel Zuchtriegel, said in a statement.
Until now, it has been a long-held misconception that upper floors were used as rental units or quarters for enslaved people. These reconstructions, however, not only demonstrate that the Pompeiian elite had a high level of wealth and power among. They also reveal that these structures may have served as precursors to later Medieval structures found in Italian cities like Verona, Siena, and Bologna.
Additionally, the renderings match narrative and visual descriptions from the time. Pliny the Younger’s description of his Villa Laurentina and the frescoes found in the grand hall of the House of the Labyrinth in Pompeii, for example, reference these multilevel buildings with balconies, bridges, and towers.
