HEDFAS

Harpenden Evening Decorative and Fine Arts Society

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Visit Reports

Visit to British Museum-Pompeii/Herculaneum, lecture and exhibition 19th September 2013



It was a privilege to attend a lecture by Dr.Paul Roberts, curator of the major, record-breaking exhibition in London. He helped members appreciate the exhibition's unique focus, looking at the Roman home and lives of the people who lived nearly 2,000 years ago in Pompeii and Herculaneum, both typical Roman towns at the heart of the Empire.

Following the lecture, we were enthralled by the unique selection of objects, some of which had never before been seen in the UK. The plaster-cast bodies of some of the victims were shocking reminders of the horrific event that made the cities famous. By focusing on the domestic spaces of the typical Roman house and over 250 excavated objects, the inhabitants were brought back to life from the ashes and ruins of their own homes.

Maureen Welsh and Diana Diggines