When did we human beings begin to sell fast food? Believe it or not, the street stalls of fast food They are older than they appear. In 2020 the discovery of a old ‘food on the go’ street stall in Pompeii. He ‘thermopoly’, Buried almost 2,000 years ago by the eruption of the Vesuvius volcano, it was an establishment where food and drinks were served in the streets of the city. Its counter, found in an exceptional state of conservation, still shows the original decoration and even remains of food.
The establishment was partially discovered in 2019, but was shown to the public in the pandemic years. On its walls are appreciated bright fresh which include the image of a Nereid riding a seahorse. You can also see drawings of animals (which were probably part of the menu), and an illustration that, according to the researchers, could be the brand of the store.
The Thermopolium of #RegioVto bar in #Pompeiicomplete with an image of a Nereid riding a sea-horse, had previously been partially excavated in 2019. It now emerges in its entirety, with rich decorative still life frescoes, food residues, animal bones & victims of the eruption. pic.twitter.com/OEqh2sbAmm
— Pompeii Sites (@pompeii_sites) December 26, 2020
Pompeii fast food
The terracotta jars where they placed ingredients and food, kitchen utensils, animal bones and food scraps. traces of pork, fish, duck, goat, snails and beef, as well as ground beans and wine. All this gives clues about the gastronomic habits of the ancient inhabitants of Pompeii.
These stalls were very popular in Roman cities and used to serve hot food to the lower classes of the city. According to the archaeologists, they could account for the origin of “takeaway food” and the fast food . In Pompeii alone, more than eighty thermopolies have been discovered, but this is the first to be shown in full.
“In addition to being a testimony of daily life in Pompeii, the possibilities of analyzing this thermopoly are exceptional, since for the first time a complete set has been unearthed,” he explained. Massimo Osanna, Director General of the Archaeological Park of Pompeii, it’s a statement.
In the same room, behind the counter, they met human bones, including those of a man in his 50s, near a child’s crib. Amphoras, a cistern and a fountain were also discovered.
“The thermopoly gives the impression of having been hastily closed and abandoned by its owners, although it is possible that someone, perhaps the oldest man, stayed behind and died during the first stage of the eruption, when the attic collapsed,” Osanna explained. in an interview with the local agency Ansa.
The thief who got caught stealing food
Another skeleton found could be that of a thief or some hungry fugitive, “surprised by the burning vapors holding in one hand the lid of the container that he had just opened,” he added.
Also, it is likely that this particular stall was a very popular one, as it is at the crossroads of Bodas de Plata and Los Balcones streets, a very busy area in its day.
The thermopolia (word from the Greek thermopolion, meaning ‘hot food to sell’) were very common in the Roman world. Jennifer Viegas, an expert at the University of Buffalo, described them as a mix between “Burger King, a British pub and a Spanish tapas bar,” on ABC News.
“Thermopolia” (the compound word comes from the Greek ‘thermopōlion’, meaning hot food to sell) were very common in the Roman world, and there were about 80 in Pompeii alone. pic.twitter.com/1Lm2PuSf6l
– Telam Agency (@AgenciaTelam) December 26, 2020
Vesuvius froze a city
Pompeii, Located about 23 km southeast of Naples, Italy, it was buried in AD 79 after the surprise volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius. The thick layer of ash helped preserve the city and the remains of its inhabitants as they were at that time. This made the city an exceptional source of archaeological information. So far, archaeologists have only managed to unearth a third of the site’s 44 hectares.
The Pompeii archaeological site It is the second most visited place in Italy, after the Roman Colosseum, with almost four million visits a year.
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