Back in Time to Herculaneum

It was a day to travel back in time, nearly 2000 years, to the Roman city of Herculaneum, which was destroyed in 79 CE by the same eruption of Mt. Vesuvius that had destroyed Pompeii three days earlier. 

 

To get there, we traveled by private bus from Sorrento. The route took us along the northern coast of the peninsula, towards Naples. Along the way, we passed many lemon groves. Lodo told us that Sorrento is famous for producing limoncello, the intensely lemon-flavored liqueur. Lemons are grown throughout the peninsula. However, the lemons grown in the Sorrento differ from those grown in Amalfi on the southern coast of the peninsula. While Sorrento lemons are perfectly oval and slightly tart, those from Amalfi are larger, elongated (tapered like a spindle), and quite sweet. Both varieties can be used to make limoncello. 

 

Something else I learned during the 90-minute ride was the Italian word “pazzo,” which means crazy. It was uttered multiple times by our bus driver when daredevil motorcyclists zipped around our vehicle on the narrow winding roads with mere inches to spare. 

 

Even before we reached Herculaneum (Ercolano in Italian), we could see the massive bulk of Mt. Vesuvius towering over the coastline. Herculaneum is located practically underneath the volcanic mountain, about 17 kilometers (10 miles) from Pompeii. 

 

Millions of people still live in close proximity to Mt. Vesuvius and I couldn’t help wondering what it’s like to live so close to an active volcano. Lodo told us Mt. Vesuvius is very closely monitored. In technical terms, it’s a stratovolcano, i.e. a composite volcano, which was created by different eruptions. Stratovolcanoes are tall, steep, and symmetrical mountains composed of alternating layers (strata) of hardened lava, ash, and volcanic rock. Today, Mt. Vesuvius has almost two distinct cones but in the 1st century AD it likely had a single cone.

 

According to recent studies, Mt. Vesuvius started to erupt in October in the year 79 CE. The eruption began with a huge column of ash that went up for miles. Herculaneum, which is closer than Pompeii to the volcano, was hit by a pyroclastic flow which covered the town. Because the pyroclastic flow filled up buildings, organic material survived. When the flow came to an end, it left a layer of lahar that was 50 to 60 feet deep. 

 

Lahar? Pyroclastic flow?  Since I wasn’t familiar with some of the terms our guide used, I had to look up their definitions after our visit. A pyroclastic flow is made up of extremely hot gas, ash, and rock fragments. It rushes like an avalanche down the slope of an erupting volcano. Lahar is a fast-moving mudflow or debris flow composed of water, pyroclastic material, and rocky debris. It flows down the slope of a volcano and can travel for tens of miles, destroying everything in its path. 

 

The people in Herculaneum were killed instantly and the town itself disappeared. Among those who died was Pliny the Elder, the Roman author, scientist, and military commander, who sailed his ship to the coast while trying to rescue friends. 

 

 

The eruption of Mt. Vesuvius affected Pompeii in a different manner. A tall column of fine ash and pumice (lightweight highly porous volcanic rock) fell on the city, burying buildings. Ceilings collapsed under the weight. The ash and pumice mixture burned everything, including organic material. However, the frescoes that adorned the interior walls of Pompeii’s buildings were preserved as the ash formed a protective seal over them. 

 

The remains of Herculaneum, buried under a deep layer of ash and mud, remained hidden and unknown for centuries. It wasn’t until 1709 that a farmer or worker digging a well accidentally discovered a wall of white marble which later turned out to belong to an ancient Roman theater. 

 

Archaeological excavations of the 20-acre site have revealed a wealth of architecture (including multi-story buildings), mosaics, papyrus documents, food, and even intact Roman skeletons, most likely those of slaves and laborers who were unable to flee.  

 

Archaeologists excavating at the site have found the first layer to be from the Greek settlement of Neapolis. The Greeks didn’t realize Vesuvius was a volcano. They just thought it was a wonderful mountain where they could grow grapes and fruit and olive trees.

 

During Roman times, Herculaneum was primarily a holiday destination and a residential town for the wealthy whereas Pompeii was a larger city and a commercial hub. Our first look of Herculaneum was from the level of the mud flow that covered the town. Our guide noted that before the volcanic eruption, the ocean came right up to the edge the town below us. Now it’s much further away because the mudflow filled in the area. 

He led us down into the level of the town, whose grid layout followed a Greek model. There was a system of perpendicular roads running north-south and east-west. This design would have maximized winter sunlight and summer shade. 

 

One of the first structures he pointed out was a domus, or house, that archaeologists have named the House of the Wooden Partition. This is considered one of the most important houses in Herculaneum. Domus is the Latin name for a private single-family house that allowed the occupants to show off their social status, wealth, and political influence. It typically faced inward, with a hall just inside the entrance that leading to an atrium that served as a reception hall. The owner’s private office would be directly behind the atrium. 

 

In the atrium of the House of the Wooden Partition, there was a square basin where rain water was collected and a table where clients who came to see the owner of the house would place gifts. The table, made of expensive Carrara marble, was a way for the owner to show off his wealth.  

Wooden partitions that separated the office from the atrium were preserved in carbonized form and are still structurally intact. They are now covered with protective glass. Other wooden items in the house were also carbonized by the intense heat of the pyroclastic flow.

 

There was usually a private garden courtyard at the back of the house. This would be decorated with statues, fountains, and frescoes. 

 

An important building in Herculaneum was the Central Thermal Baths, which date back to the beginning of 1^st century CE. Water was delivered to the baths via an aqueduct system. There were separate men’s and women’s sections, each with a changing room, a warm room (tepidarium) and a hot room (caldarium).

Our guide pointed out the vertical channels in the walls which helped control the humidity level.

There were beautiful mosaic floors in the baths, including a depiction of a Triton, a mythical Greek sea god who is half-human and half-fish, surrounded by dolphins, octopuses, and cherubs. 

On one of the commercial streets, we entered the workshop of a metal worker where we saw a bronze statuette of Bacchus with panther.

 

I was struck by the vivid colors and detailed frescoes on the walls of other buildings. 

One of the most interesting places we saw was a thermopolia, a restaurant with hot buffet bar and terra cotta pots. I was surprised to learn that many Herculaneum’s middle-class families patronized these establishments because their homes (just a couple of rooms in a three- or four-story building) lacked kitchens. 

The middle-class homes also lacked bathrooms so the ordinary people utilized public latrines and the thermal baths. Scientists who’ve studied the poop found inside ancient sewers believe that the diet of the ordinary ancient Romans was primarily based on carbs and vegetables and contained little meat. Actually, that is very similar to the carb-heavy meals I’d encountered since arriving in Sorrento. 

 

I could easily have spent several hours wandering through the ruins but our time was limited. I was able to take a quick walk through the on-site museum where I saw the keel of a boat that was discovered in 1982. The boat had originally been overturned by the force of the volcanic eruption. It was buried in pyroclastic flows which sealed it when they hardened.

 

There were many other interesting artifacts found in the ruins, including statues, frescoes, mosaics, and everyday household objects. 

The day that had started with an overcast sky and a sprinkle of rain was bright and sunny by the time we returned to Sorrento. After lunch, I headed right back to Raki for more gelato; this time my choice was lemon. The verdict? Delicious, but I still preferred pistachio or nocciola.

The day ended with a wonderful home-hosted dinner, a feature of every OAT and GCT tour. A small group of us spent the evening at the home of a multi-generational Italian family who lived in a residential area on a hillside above the touristy center. The local church was just a few doors down from their house.

Viviana, who spoke excellent English, was a student attending the university in Naples. She told us that her grandparents, aunt and uncle and cousins, as well as her parents and siblings live on different floors of the house. Behind the house, there was a vegetable garden and a small yard for the cow and her calf, plus the chickens.

 

We all sat around a long table and enjoyed an excellent home-cooked meal. In fact, everything we ate was produced on their farm: pasta with their own tomato sauce; lettuce and pancetta from the pig they had raised; homemade bread; delicious carrots they had grown; and tiramisu. 

There was even homemade limoncello.

 

Best of all was the warmth the family showed to me and my fellow travelers.

 

Herculaneum plus gelato plus dinner with an Italian family – I couldn’t have asked for a better day!

Focus on Sorrento

bell tower of the cathedral

Corso Italia

The Mediterranean weather was perfect on the first morning of my GCT Impressions of Italy tour and I was eager to learn more about Sorrento, where I’d spent the last few days on my own.  I was also eager to get to know my fellow travelers. Unlike many of them, I wasn’t suffering from jet lag since I’d already been in Italy for nearly a month. 

 

I prepared myself for a busy day with a healthy breakfast from the buffet. I’m not sure why this dark chocolate cake was on the “Healthy Options” table, but I was happy to give it a try. Was it perhaps a Torta Caprese, made with almonds instead of flour and therefore gluten-free? In any case, it was delicious. 

 

Since I’d gotten up early, as usual, there was time for a short post-breakfast walk before the Welcome Briefing. Between 8:15 and 8:45, the roads were busy with local people going off to work and school. I was impressed that the cars and motorcycles automatically stopped as soon as a pedestrian entered a crosswalk.  

 

The first official activity of the day, after the Welcome Briefing, was a guided walk around the town with a local guide and Lodo (short for Lodovico), our Program Director. As we walked along, I learned more about Sorrento. It was one of the coastal settlements established by the Greeks who first arrived on the nearby island of Ischia in the 7^th or 8^thcentury BCE. During Roman times, Sorrento gained importance, becoming a getaway destination where wealthy Romans built villas. 

 

After the fall of the western Roman Empire in 476 CE, Sorrento faced difficult times. During the Middle Ages, because of its exposed setting, it was frequently attacked by Saracens (forces from the Islamic world). As a result, the fishermen’s village (located at today’s Marina Grande) was abandoned. Inhabitants moved away from the coast into the gorges where they took advantage of water power to start different types of mills, including oil mills and saw mills. Later, they started producing paper and leather. 

 

At a bridge not far from the hotel, our local guide pointed down into a deep gorge where we could see the remains of buildings that were occupied until the early 20^th century. 

In the 1800s, Sorrento became a popular destination on the “Grand Tour,” a multi-year educational trip through Europe for upper-class young men and women. It was during this era that the Piazza Tasso was built, and many hotels and villas were built to accommodate the wealthy visitors. Sorrento was especially appealing because it was situated on a plateau, allowing for hotels and villas to be surrounded by elaborate gardens. This wasn’t possible in other towns on the peninsula which were built on steep hillsides. 

 

From the Piazza Tasso, we walked through the narrow pedestrian lanes of the historic center. Our local guide noted that in the past, this neighborhood was filled with craft shops that produced inlaid wood items, cameos, and lace for royalty and the wealthiest families. 

We entered a 17^th century church which is now the location of the Biagio Barile inlaid wood studio. For four generations, this family has kept this traditional art form alive. I was amazed at the exquisite plaques, boxes, frames, etc. that they produce. All of the tiny pieces used for the inlays are cut by hand with a jigsaw. Wood from the white ash tree is dyed to achieve the colors. The current generation of artisans creates items in both traditional and modern styles. The studio exports about 95% of its production to the United States. This includes custom items for some very well-known designers.  

The larger pieces weren’t in my budget but I treated myself to a small box and a small plaque to hang on the wall. 

 

In the Cathedral of Saint Philip and James, we saw more examples of traditional inlaid wood. 

The most impressive example of wood art was the elaborate nativity scene called a presepe. This traditional art form originated in Naples and became very popular in the 1700s and 1800s. It depicts the birth of Jesus against a background of bustling 18^th century Neapolitan life. The scene is extremely detailed and the figures are dressed in the clothing of the time. The Holy Family is shown within crumbling Roman ruins as a way of symbolizing the fall of paganism and the birth of Christianity. Many families have smaller versions of presepes in their homes. Presepes made today often include contemporary figures such as well-known singers and soccer players. Due to the huge crowd of people, it was difficult to take photos of the presepe. 

detail of the presepe

Before our walk concluded, our local guide informed us that religion in Italy is no longer as important as it was in the past. Although the majority of the population considers themselves Roman Catholic, only about 65% of the people are baptized and maybe 35% at most are actually practicing the religion. She noted that people who live in the smaller towns in more remote parts of the country are generally more religiously observant than those who live in cities. 

 

I spent the next few hours continuing to explore on my own. I returned to the Piazza Gargiulo where I looked out at Sorrento’s shoreline and the island of Capri across the water. 

view of Capri from Sorrento

Also at the Piazza Gargiulo, I enjoyed a few moments of quiet in the Cloister of Saint Francis, built in the 13^th century in the Byzantine style. 

 

Heading back towards the Piazza Tasso, I stepped into the Basilica of Sant’Antonino. Sorrento’s oldest church, built in the 11^th century, it is dedicated to the town’s patron saint. The interior is decorated in the Baroque style. The whale rib that adorns the entrance is a reference to the legend that the saint saved a child from a whale. 

Looking out to the north towards the water from the Piazza Tasso, it was easy to appreciate the elevation of the town center.

After all this walking in the sunshine, I was craving gelato and it wasn’t hard to find. I went to Raki, a shop on the Corso Italia that Lodo had recommended. There were so many tempting options that it took me a while to select a flavor. Fondente all’Arancia (dark chocolate with orange) proved to be an excellent choice. 

I did a little shopping for typical food items to take home at a small store near the Piazza Tasso before I returned to the hotel for a late afternoon rest. 

That evening, our Welcome Dinner in the hotel restaurant featured typical food of the region. Therefore, I was surprised to see Baba au Rhum as the featured dessert. I had always associated this rum-soaked yeasted cake with French cuisine. I did a little research and learned that this traditional French dessert was created in the 18^th century for an exiled Polish king who missed the cake (babka) that was usually served soaked in wine in his homeland. Baba au rhum was thus a French adaptation of an Eastern European dessert. Some sources say that the king of France brought the recipe with him when he visited Naples while other sources credit Neapolitan chefs who traveled to France with introducing the recipe. In any case, the Neapolitans further modified the recipe, soaking the cake in limoncello or another flavored liqueur. It soon became a staple of Neapolitan cuisine and has since spread throughout the country. Whatever its origin, baba au rhum is one of my favorite desserts and a great way to conclude our Welcome Dinner.   

My Grand Circle tour was off to a good start, and the end of the day brought the realization that after four days in Sorrento, I was feeling quite at home in the town.