Pompeii: An Archaeological Guide

The resonant ruins of Pompeii are perhaps the most direct route back to the living, breathing world of the ancient Romans. Two million visitors annually now walk the paved streets which re-emerged, miraculously preserved, from their layers of volcanic ash. Yet for all the fame and unique importance of the site, there is a surprising lack of a handy archaeological guide in English to reveal and explain its public spaces and private residences. This compact and user-friendly handbook, written by an expert in the field, helpfully fills that gap. Illustrated throughout with maps, plans, diagrams and other images, Pompeii: An Archaeological Guide offers a general introduction to the doomed city followed by an authoritative summary and survey of the buildings, artefacts and paintings themselves. The result is an unrivalled picture, derived from an intimate knowledge of Roman archaeology around the Bay of Naples, of the forum, temples, brothels, bath-houses, bakeries, gymnasia, amphitheatre, necropolis and other site buildings - including perennial favourites like the House of the Faun, named after its celebrated dancing satyr.

About the Author :
Paul Wilkinson founded the Kent Archaeological Field School (www.kafs.co.uk), is currently Director of the Swale and Thames Archaeological Survey Company - or SWAT Archaeology for short (www.swatarchaeology.co.uk) - and holds a PhD in archaeology from the University of St Andrews. His previous books include the bestselling Pompeii: The Last Day (2004) and Archaeology: What it is, Where it is, and How to do it (2007), which have each sold well in excess of 50,000 copies.

Review :
`This guide is important as a bridge between the popular guide books and the specialised academic studies that are available to visitors to Pompeii. Paul Wilkinson is an archaeologist who specialises in Roman archaeology and recording historic buildings. In his lively introduction he explains in understandable terms how these world-famous buildings functioned and how people lived and worked in the city of Pompeii. The guidebook itself follows, illustrated with numerous new plans, allowing the visitor to explore the most important buildings in Pompeii following Wilkinson's clear room-by-room descriptions. This new guidebook, with its clear and concise explanations, will greatly enhance a viewer's experience of this fascinating UNESCO World Heritage site.' - John R. Clarke, Annie Laurie Howard Regents Professor of Fine Arts, University of Texas at Austin, author of The Houses of Roman Italy, 100 B.C. - A.D. 250: Ritual, Space, and Decoration and of Looking at Lovemaking: Constructions of Sexuality in Roman Art, 100 B.C. - A.D. 250, `This book, written by an archaeologist with years of experience of showing visitors around one of the most visited (but often misunderstood) sites in the world, will be warmly welcomed by those who need an up-to-date and reliable guide.' - Andrew Wallace-Hadrill, OBE, FSA, Honorary Professor of Roman Studies & Director of Research in Classics and of the Herculaneum Conservation Project, University of Cambridge