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Even though the site is thousands of years old, Pompeii is still full of surprises that are regularly unearthed to new and awaiting eyes. Even though archaeologists have worked to excavate the remains of the ruined city since the 18th century, a large portion of the city still remains buried, promising exciting discoveries at every new dig site.
Over the past year, archaeologists at Pompeii have made great strides in their progress, and last week, they revealed another fantastic find. A newly-unearthed room, notable for its unique decorations, is giving researchers an exciting look back through time into the private lives of Pompeii's wealthy elite.
Reporters from @nbcnews recently got to tour Pompeii's freshly-unearthed "Blue Room," aptly named for its special sky-blue wall paint that has Pompeiian archaeologists raising their eyebrows. MIT student archaelogist Mishael Quraishi told NBC News that the special copper-based paint, " Egyptian Blue ," was the "first synthetically manufactured pigment in human history." It also had to be transported across the Mediterranean Sea from Egypt, a luxury only the rich could afford.
Related: Archeologists Find More Incredible Ancient Roman Ruins in Pompeii
But the room's mysteries don't stop at its pricey paint. According to NBC News ' full report, the room is decorated with female figures representing the four seasons and portrayals of agriculture and sheep farming, suggesting to archaeologists that this room was likely a sacrarium, a space devoted to sacred rites and the storage of sacred objects. What's more, archaeologists also found building materials in the room, suggesting that the owners were about to redecorate. Too bad a certain volcanic eruption derailed those plans...
The Exciting Finds of Regio IX
The "Blue Room" was discovered at Regio IX, an excavation site that has produced some of the most exciting archaeological finds from the historic city of Pompeii , particularly over the past year. Recently, archaeologists at Regio IX discovered "The Black Room," an ornate banquet hall with richly-decorated black walls. It seems like Regio IX was once "the bougie part of town" 2,000 years ago!
And that's only scratching the surface of the incredible finds from Regio IX. In January, The Art Newspaper reported that excavators at the Regio IX site had unearthed a bizarre " bakery-prison " that imprisoned the enslaved workers who baked its bread. Other reported Regio IX finds from the past year include a laundry room in the lobby of an apartment complex and a fresco painting that depicts what may very well be " pizza's 2,000-year-old ancestor "!
Regio IX is one of the most active excavation sites at Pompeii, and it's giving historians an incredible look into the private lives of its ancient Roman citizens, from the rich and famous who lived in lavish luxury to, tragically, the enslaved people who labored under them. The "Blue Room" is just one more fantastic find out of dozens from Regio IX, and the future of the archeological site has many more surprises in store!
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