Bell Ringer Answer this question in your Writer’s Notebook. Use complete sentences and always write down the question too You are a resident of the city of Pompeii, the earth just shook underneath your feet, write a journal entry about what you do next.

The Day the World Went Dark The Eruption of Mount Vesuvius and the destruction of Pompeii and Herculaneum

Focus Questions (Write these in your writer’s notebook) 1) Why were the People of Pompeii “blissfully unaware” of the destruction that was to befall them? 2) What two warnings happened ahead of time that either weren’t heeded or weren’t understood? 3) How many people died in Pompeii and Herculaneum? 4) Describe the process of being Frozen in Time. 5) What lesson should humans learn from Pompeii and Thera? Explain.

When did this event occur in Time??? 509 B.C 79 A.D. 44 B.C 0476 AD

Blissfully Unaware Romans did not realize Vesuvius (6,000 ft) was a volcano! Last erupted about 3,500 B.C.

Warning Signs A major earthquake struck in 62 B.C. A minor eruption on Aug 23rd

What happened to Pompeii in 79 A.D.? Vesuvius erupted, totally destroying Pompeii and Herculaneum – both prosperous Roman towns. Pompeii – about 15,000 people lived – 2,000 died Herculaneum – about 5,000 people – All died

Pompeii, A well planned city

Pompeii before the Eruption

By 5:30 a.m. roofs begin to collapse in Pompeii. Some people killed, but most people flee south. The Sky Goes Dark! The Sky Goes Dark! Sky Goes Dark! Sky Goes Dark! AugustAugust 24th 1:00 AM 24th August24th Ash falls depositing about 2.5 m. on Pompeii. No ash falls on Herculaneum.

Surge-5 at 7:30 a.m. devastates Pompeii Surge-6 at 8:00 a.m. is the largest of all. KABOOMKABOOM!!! Vesuvius blows her top! KABOOM August 25th six pyroclastic surges and flows devastate Pompeii and Herculaneum. Surge-1 at 1:00 a.m. Destroys Herculaneum Surge-2 at 2:00 a.m. Surge-3 and 4 at 6:30 a.m. reaches outskirts of Pompeii

Pompeii - buried under 8 ft. of ash and about ft of surge deposits Pompeii - buried under 8 ft. of ash and about ft of surge deposits. How bad did it get??? Herculaneum - destroyed and buried under ft. of surge deposits. Herculaneum – totally destroyed and the entire population wiped out. About 5,000 dead Pompeii – totally destroyed and buried. Most people escaped, about 2-3,000 died.

“Last Day of Pompeii” by by Karl Briullov Karl Briullov A day in Pompeii:

Excavating Pompeii - Giuseppe Fiorelli  Divide the city into nine regions His Innovations: 1875  Realized that once a body had decayed it left an empty space in the layers of solidified ashes

Images of excavated Pompeii

A Mosaic at Pompeii Nature’s necessities… Community bath rooms Excavations continued...

Excavations Continued... An Amphitheater

The Story Continues Today The tale of death and destruction frozen in time on that fateful day in 79 AD is a story that captivates the world today. Two beautiful towns destroyed in a hiccup of time leaves many of us with the feeling of our own mortality and fragility. But like all things in life there was a silver lining in this tragedy. The eruption preserved a moment in history that allows us to see that even out of disaster, life continues on.

Naples, Italy

Check your Answers 1.They didn’t know that Mt. Vesuvius was a volcano… The last eruption happened thousands of years ago. 2.An earthquake in 62 B.C. and a minor eruption the day before that blew a little ash away from both towns. 3.Herculaneum (over 5,000); Pompeii (2-3,000) 4.The ash covered people quickly and they died “frozen” in fear. We know about it today because of Fiorelli’s plaster cast methods. 5.Answers may/should vary !

Bibliography “Pompeii.” Encyclopedia Britannica “Eruption at Pompeii.” Harcourt School Assistant. Online. December 15, “Fiorelli, Giuseppe.” Encyclopedia Britannica. 2002