The Natural History of PompeiiWilhelmina Feemster Jashemski, Frederick G. Meyer The sudden destruction of Pompeii, Herculaneum and the surrounding Campanian countryside following the eruption of Vesuvius in AD 79 preserved the remarkable evidence that has made possible this reconstruction of the natural history of the local environment. Following the prototype of Pliny the Elder's Natural History, various aspects of the natural history of Pompeii are discussed and analyzed by a team of eminent scientists, many of whom have collaborated with Jashemski during her years of excavation of several gardens in the Vesuvian area. This volume brings together the work of geologists, soil specialists, paleobotanists, botanists, palaeontologists, biologists, chemists, dendrochronologists, ichthyologists, zoologists, ornithologists, mammalogists, herpetologists, entymologists, and archaeologists, affording a thorough picture of the landscape, flora, and fauna of the ancient sites. The detailed and rigorously scientific catalogues, which are copiously illustrated, provide a checklist of the flora and fauna upon which future generations of scholars can continue to build. |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
Mount Vesuvius before the Disaster | 29 |
The Eruption of Vesuvius in A D 79 | 41 |
Paleosols of the Pompeii Area | 77 |
Dendrochronological Investigations | 235 |
Evidence from Specimens Mosaics | 274 |
Pollen Analysis of Soil Samples from | 315 |
Evidence from Wall Paintings | 357 |
Examination of Human Skeletal Remains | 451 |
In Conclusion | 476 |
Common terms and phrases
A.D. 79 eruption animals Apicius atrium AUTHORS Pliny Avellino bird bones Boscoreale Campania Capaldo carbonized hay century B.c. Ciarallo color Columella Columella RR depicted deposit diatoms Dioscorides English Eumachia Europe excavations Faun FIGURE fish flowers fountain fragments freshwater fruit garden painting gastropods Gold Bracelet Greek hay at Oplontis Herculaneum identified Italian Italy Jashemski 1979 Lake Avernus lapilli lararium layer Maiuri marine MATERIAL EXAMINED Matteucig Mediterranean Meyboom mosaic Mount Vesuvius Naples Museum NM inv occurs Oplontis paleosols Palombi percent peristyle Photo plants Pliny HN pollen Polybius Pompeian Pompeii preserved probably pumice pyroclastic flow REFERENCES IN ANCIENT REMARKS Roman Rome samples Schefold SCULPTURE sediments shells shows Sigurdsson snake soil species SPECIMENS surge tablinum Tammisto Terzigno Theophrastus tion Toynbee Trans tree triclinium Vesuvian area Vesuvian sites Vesuvius Villa of Poppaea villa rustica volcanic WALL PAINTINGS wild wood zone