The ‘new discoveries’ of Pompeii with Alberto Angela: viewers as if live thanks to a special shot

The “Meraviglie” special airs Monday 27 May at 9.25pm on Rai 1

ROME – There are also the drawings of a child from two thousand years ago among the wonders that have come to light from the latest excavation campaigns of the Pompeii Archaeological Park. Fascinating finds that – together with others never shown before – Alberto Angela, with the participation of the director Gabriel Zuchtriegel, the archaeologists and technicians of the Park, recounts in “Pompeii. The new discoveries“, a special of “Meraviglie” produced by Rai Cultura in collaboration with the Archaeological Park and the Ministry of Culture, broadcast on Monday 27 May at 9.25pm on Rai 1.< br>Entirely filmed on the site of Pompeii, within the new excavation sites, the Special uses a unique filming technique: a single sequence shot, over two hours long, which crosses the archaeological area of Pompeii following Alberto Angela in his exploration without any breaks or interruptions. 
Thanks to this particular shot, viewers will have the feeling of participating in a real visit to the excavations of Pompeii accompanied personally by Alberto Angela through a compelling narrative journey and the absence of cuts will allow a clear idea of the location of the spaces explored, the distances travelled, the vastness of the archaeological site. It will be like crossing the ancient city, submerged by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD, with the eyes of a Pompeiian from two thousand years ago who sees everyday objects, frescoes, graffiti and traces of his own life resurrect from the volcanic material. At that time. 

The visit starts from the Odeion, the smaller of the city’s two theaters, dominated by the view of Vesuvius which rises in the distance beyond the walls. It then winds through the ancient streets of Pompeii passing through shops, spas, inns and private homes, where traces of daily life in the first century AD arouse wonder at every step.
The route then continues to the interior of the Insula dei Casti Amanti, currently closed to the public (open to visits since the 28th), an block already partially explored in the past and today the subject of new in-depth excavations which have just brought to the surface the remains of other victims caught in the vain attempt to save themselves from the eruption. Here the archaeologists, still at work, show Alberto Angela and the public still unknown environments, interesting objects of everyday life that have just emerged from the volcanic layers and astonishing works of art that have become visible again after almost two thousand years. But the most moving works discovered by archaeologists on the walls of a domus are the drawings of a child from two thousand years ago who, shortly before the tragedy, outlined his childhood imagination with charcoal, unaware that his graffiti would survive the passing of time. centuries. 
After a short transfer by car over the still unexcavated area of Pompeii, Alberto Angela enters the excavation sites involving the regio IX, one of the districts of the city not yet entirely brought to light. Here he reveals to the spectators splendid frescoed halls that have just re-emerged from the volcanic material and a wonderful painted environment, discovered in the days of the making of the special and still never shown. The route proceeds towards the “House of the Lararium”, where the story of the last hours of the Roman city is intertwined with the discovery of environments that the eruption has “crystallised”, imprinting in the ash the photograph of the last moments of Pompeii’s life. Here, with the help of the park’s experts, Alberto Angela illustrates the cast technique, which made it possible to reveal the dramatic images of the victims in the very moment of their death.
The exploration continues in the “house of Leda”, one of the domus richest in finds of this latest excavation campaign with new revelations. In its vicinity, frescoed walls of incredible beauty have just emerged, also due to the particular state of conservation of the original colours. 
Finally, at the end of the route, two authentic fireworks of Pompeii: the “house of the golden cupids” and the “house of the Vettii”, the latter recently reopened to the public after a long restoration. Here the magnificence of the frescoes and colonnaded gardens reveals the opulence of the inhabitants of one of the richest areas of the city. Splendidly surrounded by the “Pompeian red”, the viewer will almost have the impression of participating in one of the exaggerated banquets described by Petronio.

(Photo by Barbara Ledda)