Pompeii – Pistrina

A topographer of Éveha International participates in a new study on bakeries of Pompeii. This project is under the responsibility of Nicolas Monteix (University of Rouen).

Location and Historical Summary
Located on the shores of the Bay of Naples, Pompeii was already an ancient city when the eruption of 79 AD led to its final abandonment. The city and its suburbs were buried under volcanic deposits. According to a long-held view, the entire site was supposedly “frozen” in its 1st-century state until its rediscovery during the modern era.

Both within the city and its surroundings—including suburbs and necropoles—numerous structures dedicated to craftsmanship and industry have been identified since studies of the site began.

Among these, several dozen bakeries have been progressively uncovered, all located within the city walls. They typically combine areas for grain milling—characterized by the presence of mills powered by equids (donkeys or horses)—with bread preparation areas and baking ovens. In this sense, the bakeries of Pompeii offer a primary source for understanding the operation of such structures during Antiquity, as well as their development.

However, this evidence is not always as “complete” as previously assumed. Current research has demonstrated that many of these bakeries were “visited” (salvaged) in the immediate aftermath of the eruption, with certain elements being recovered before the city was definitively abandoned.

Voici une proposition de traduction pour l’historique des recherches sur les boulangeries de Pompéi, en utilisant un style académique adapté aux publications archéologiques.

Research History
Some of Pompeii’s bakeries were studied and published at the time of their discovery, yet only a single comprehensive synthesis has been dedicated to them (Mayeske, 1972). In 2008, a new research program was launched, led by N. Monteix with the support of the École française de Rome and the Centre Jean-Bérard.

The ambition of this study is to better characterize the transition phase between a period when cereal consumption consisted primarily of porridge and flatbreads produced within individual households, and a period that saw the advent of commercial bakeries distributing their products across the entire city. In this regard, the exceptionally well-preserved site of Pompeii naturally offers a unique and privileged field of study.

To address these questions, the program focused on a precise study of each bakery in Pompeii. All structures underwent detailed architectural surveys; numerous archaeological soundings (test pits) were opened, and the masonry was meticulously analyzed. Additionally, a large number of samples were taken to fully characterize the operation of each space within these bakeries.
This ambitious undertaking required the collaboration of numerous individuals and organizations.

Mayeske B.J.
1972 : Bakeries, bakers and bread at Pompeii: a study in social and economic history, Ph.D. thesis, University of Maryland, 252 p.

The excavation campagnes (by year)

• 
  Pompeii – Pistrina – 2014