Archaeologists at Pompeii and Herculaneum

Q10. Using sources L and M and your own knowledge, assess the different methods used by archaeologists over time to investigate the sites of P and H.

The methods used by archaeologists to investigate the sites of Pompeii and Herculaneum have changed dramatically over time. As archaeologists acquired new skills and an increased understanding and appreciation of archaeological methods the excavation of both sites has become more effective. Moreover, improvements in technology have greatly assisted archaeologists excavating ancient sites such as those of Pompeii and Herculaneum.

When Pompeii and Herculaneum were first discovered there were no established methods of excavation. Little concern was made for the context and location in which artifacts were found and there was no precedent for record keeping or the publication of reports. The earliest excavations at Herculaneum were in fact mining operations. During this time there was a ‘treasure hunting motive’ present in society and the earliest work on this site was in fact carried out by a military engineer, Rocco de Alcubierre, who, according to source M, began his ‘excavation’ of the site in 1738 by constructing tunnels and shafts into Herculaneum. He was given the responsibility of finding and retrieving antiquities, such as statues, frescoes and other artefacts, for the king. Alcubierre has been criticized for his ‘hap-hazard’ approach. His methods were not effective and were in fact quite destructive. However, it must be remembered that archaeology was in its infancy at this time and he cannot be judged by modern standards. It was not until a Swiss military engineer named Karl Webber became Alcubierre’s assistant that more thoughtful and more scientific approaches to the site took place.

Webber began work at Herculaneum in 1750, and according to source M, introduced “systematic excavation and recording practices”. His excavation followed the lines of streets and he entered the buildings along the streets through their door. Webber tried to stop the practice of re-burying excavated ruins to let visitors experience the sites more naturally. He also kept detailed inventories of his finds and located them on site plans. This method was extremely important because it not only allowed for later archaeologists to gain a better understanding of the site by knowing where certain objects etc… were found, but without his plans of the Villa of Papyri, we would not know the original context of its unique library. Webber was committed to publish his work in the form of written descriptions, drawings, works of art and a historical overview completed by analyzing ancient and modern sources. However, much of Webber’s work fell into private hands after his death and was never published. Nevertheless, he played an important role in modernizing archaeological techniques used at Pompeii and Herculaneum.

Excavations