Pompeii: The New Dig - House of Treasures

A new one-hour episode of Pompeii: The New Dig reveals the latest findings as the biggest archaeological dig in Pompeii for a generation reaches its climax. Told through the drama of the dig and stylised fresco-inspired animations, House of Treasures continues to paint a vivid picture of what life was like in Pompeii, as well as the horror faced by the residents as the volcano erupted in AD 79. 

In this new episode the focus of the excavation moves from a cluster of commercial buildings, which include a lucrative bakery and stylish laundry, to an adjacent luxurious residence, possibly owned by Pompeiian big-wig and local politician Aulus Rustius Verus. Set away from the noisy streets, his peaceful and opulent dwelling is one of the most glamorous in Pompeii. With the cameras exclusively capturing the archaeologists at work as extraordinary new finds come to, this episode builds a picture of the upper-class life enjoyed by the owners - in stark contrast to the living conditions of the enslaved workers next door, highlighted in the previous episodes.  

The first finds from this wealthy residence have already made headlines – including some astonishing frescoes in the banqueting room known as the ‘Black Room’. The archaeologists now reveal the full extent of its elaborate mosaic floor, imagining the lavish banquets the owners would have hosted in their house and illustrated with rare examples of fine tableware preserved in the site’s store rooms. 

In a nearby small room, the team make another extraordinary discovery: the body of a woman, crouched on the floor, clutching a pouch containing pearl earrings and gold coins, possessions worth thousands of pounds in today’s money. To learn more about the room, the team use plaster casts of the cavities in the ash to reproduce the shapes of the furniture that filled the room: a chest, a bed and a small table. On top of the table, a marble slab on which we stood objects from everyday life - bottles, pots and plates. 

As the archaeologists continue to expose the extent of Aulus’ affluent residence, in the small room where the woman with the pearl earrings was found, another dramatic discovery is made: a second victim, this time a man, who died under a collapsing wall.  

Who were these people and why did they stay behind when so many fled? The team in Pompeii hope to piece together their identities as they continue to build a picture of one of the wealthiest houses in town and those living there.