The buried city of Pompeii is one discovery richer: Archaeologists have unearthed a fresco that may depict a distant predecessor of pizza – even if the flatbread lacks the ingredients typical of today.
The ancient Romans seem to have had a passion for pizza – or at least something close to it. Archaeologists in the ancient city of Pompeii say they have uncovered an ancient fresco depicting a precursor to modern pizza. A topped flatbread can be seen in the 2000-year-old painting.
The image was discovered during recent excavations on a half-collapsed wall. You can see a silver plate with the round flatbread on which, according to the archaeologists, pomegranates and dates are apparently draped. These are probably served with spices or even a kind of pesto. Next to it are dried fruit, a wreath of strawberry tree branches and a wine goblet.
“How could we not think of pizza”
“What is pictured here on the wall of an ancient house in Pompeii could be a distant ancestor of the modern dish,” said experts at the archaeological site in southern Italy, referring to the pizza that is now popular around the world.
Archaeologists assume that the fresco shows gifts that were given to guests at the time. This custom dates back to ancient Greece and was described by Roman authors such as Virgil and Philostratus. “How could we not think of pizza,” explained the German director of the archaeological site, Gabriel Breeding Bar.
The pizza is Unesco heritage
However, “a few of the most typical ingredients such as tomatoes and mozzarella were missing,” the researchers said. According to legend, modern pizza has only existed since 1889. A certain Raffaele Esposito baked the first pizza in Naples back then.
Topped with green basil, white mozzarella and red tomatoes, it symbolized the colors of the Italian flag. In 2017, the “art of the Neapolitan pizza maker” was even included in the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage.
Always spectacular finds
Archaeologists keep coming across spectacular finds in the sunken Roman city at the foot of Mount Vesuvius. In 79, ash, mud and lava covered the ancient city after several volcanic eruptions. Pompeii was rediscovered in the 18th century. The preserved remnants of death and devastation still provide a glimpse of life back then. Today the park is one of the most popular sights in Italy.