Revisiting Pompeii through ceramics | Archaeologist Rebekka Valke

The world is still fascinated by the ancient city of Pompeii. Its residents and buildings trapped in time, frozen in terror as the volcanic ash and debris rained down on them from the erupting Mount Vesuvius, nearly two thousand years ago. Forgotten for centuries, the discovery of the preserved city meant that archaeologists and historians could study, in fine detail, what an ancient roman city had looked like. 

But what does it mean to study the past in such intense detail? And how do archaeologists build a story of the ancient world from the objects that they find?

For this episode I spoke to archaeologist Rebekka Valcke, who has worked at the site for eight years. Rebekka’s speciality lies in Roman pottery and ceramics. I hope you enjoy my conversion with her about what life is like on the site, if the Ancient Romans were as obsessed with sex as they’re often depicted and if she ever worries about Mount Vesuvius erupting again… 

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