June 27, 2023 – 8:27 PM
Photo: PARCO ARCHEOLOGICO DI POMPEI PRESS OFFICE / AFP
Even the ancient Romans loved pizza, a little differently than we do – at least this is what can be deduced from the information of archaeologists researching Pompeii, who came across a fresco depicting a contemporary feast in the ruins of an ancient house, which is very reminiscent of pizza, only with cheese and without tomatoes, writes a Yahoo news.
The 2,000-year-old painting depicts a silver plate with round flatbread, fresh and dried fruits such as pomegranates and dates, and a goblet filled with red wine. According to archaeologists, the flatbread depicted in the painting was likely eaten with fruit.
Although the food depicted on the mural cannot technically be considered pizza, as it lacks classic ingredients, it could still be “a distant relative of modern food,” the archaeological park experts wrote in their announcement.
Pompeii is a ruined ancient Roman city near Naples in the Italian region of Campania. According to archaeologists’ estimates, 15-20% of the city’s population died when Vesuvius erupted 2,000 years ago, burying everything under thick ash. Archaeologists are still trying to find treasures buried under the ashes.