Why
Herculaneum
is special

Like Pompeii, Herculaneum was buried by the catastrophic Mt. Vesuvius eruption of 79 AD.  The excavated buildings of Herculaneum are better preserved.

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Herculaneum
tips & insights

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A well-concealed
Herculaneum

The town was covered with nearly 20 meters (60 feet) of lava, mud, ash and other volcanic debris. Herculaneum lay hidden and forgotten for well over a millennium before it was discovered in 1709.

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Yet to be
exposed

Most of the ruins are not yet excavated. No doubt surprises await future archaeologists.

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Most notable
building complex

It is the Villa of the Papri. This site stockpiled 2,000 ancient scrolls before  Vesuvius blew its top. Scientists are using modern multi-spectrum electronic equipment to read the scrolls (unrolling them would likely destroy them).

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What the
skeletons tell us

Many were found huddled in the portside buildings. Apparently, these people unsuccessfully tried to escape by boat.

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Herculaneum
compared with Pompeii

It was appreciably smaller than Pompeii, but more prosperous. Herculaneum attracts far fewer tourists than Pompeii. This is a plus for travelers who like exploring archaeological sites in a quieter, more peaceful environment.

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Name

Herculeum was named for the Greek god Hercules.

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More Italy topics

Wonders of Italy - Home page

Italy wonder map

Basic Italian phrases

Italian cuisine

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Enit - Tourist Board

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