EARLY EXCAVATORS & DISCOVERIES AT P&H

Question 1

Early excavators

Answer 1

early excavators = treasure seekers
* did a lot of damage to the site
* antiquarians = people who were only interested in objects which were old and beautiful

Question 2

Karl Weber (1738)

Answer 2

• first systematic excavator of Herculaneum - creating meticulous plans of the theatre, basilica and Villa of the Papyri.
• swiss architect and engineer
• In charge of the first organised excavations at Herculaneum, Pompeii and Stabiae, under the patronage (funded by) of Charles of Naples
• worked by excavating whole rooms with convern for its context - heroic

Question 3

Giuseppe Fiorelli (1863-75) did well:

Answer 3

1. first systematic and methodical excavations at Pompeii
2. Whole site was carefully mapped – into 9 regions, then town blocks called insulae, then each building entrance - Developed a numbering system
3. detailed records of his excavations
4. encouraged tourism - more money for excavations
5. created plaster casts

1. top to bottom. He also shored up walls to prevent their collapse.

Question 4

Giuseppe Fiorelli (1863-75) not do well:

Answer 4

• Others argued that the casts showed disrespect to the dead.
• Some scientists and archaeologists today complain that they cannot gain access to the skeletal remains within the casts (say for DNA testing), without breaking the casts.
• Dr Estelle Lazer has discovered that some of these casts contained metal rods. These were thus fabrications by Fiorelli to attract tourism to the site.

Question 5

Spinazzola (1911-1923) did well:

Answer 5

• conducted excavations into the via dell’abbondanza - contributtes to the rediscovery of Pompeii
• restored the facades of buildings - saved inscriptions and graffittis

Question 6

Spinazzola (1911-1923) did not do well:

Answer 6

• preserved and restored the 2nd and 3rd storey buildings, though through was based off of his own imagination
• These recreations have forever influenced how we perceive these facades.