William Gell

Pompeiana - The Topography, Edifices and Ornaments of Pompeii William Gell

Originally published in 1852, this work contains information and illustrations detailing the important discoveries made during the excavation of the lost city of Pompeii. Pompeii was an ancient Roman town-city near the modern Italian city of Naples. It is famed for being one of the ill-feted settlements destroyed and buried by the massive eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. Along with Herculaneum, Pompeii is of particular interest and historical importance due to its preservation under the several metres of volcanic ash and pumice, protecting it from air and moisture. This created a snapshot of a moment in an ancient civilisation that would otherwise have been eroded by time.