Tony Jolliffe/BBC”The most powerful thing from these excavations is that stark contrast between the lives of the slaves and the very, very rich. And here we see it,” says Dr Sophie Hay. “The difference between the sumptuous life of the bathhouse, compared to the furnace room, where the slaves would be feeding the fire toiling all day.”A wall is all that could divide you between two different worlds.”The excavation is in its final weeks – but new discoveries continue to emerge from the ash. Limited numbers of visitors are allowed to visit the dig while it’s ongoing, but eventually it will be fully opened to the public.”Every day here is a surprise,” says Dr Anna Onesti, director of the excavation.”Sometimes in the morning I come to work thinking that it’s a normal working day – and then I discover we found something exceptional. “It’s a magic moment for the life of Pompeii, and this excavation work offers us the possibility to share this with the public.”More discoveries from Pompeii
