Sheep Help Archaeologists Preserve Ancient Ruins at Pompeii

A herd of sheep is helping archaeologists preserve ancient ruins at Pompeii. This Roman city was buried in ash and pumice following the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79.

Despite 250 years of excavations, only about two-thirds of the 66-hectare (163 acres) site at Pompeii has been uncovered.

To safeguard the unexplored sections of the ancient city against erosion by nature and time, site managers have adopted a sustainable approach to the environment.

Grazing sheep are used to prevent grass and other plants from growing on or in ancient walls and houses.

According to Gabriel Zuchtriegel, the director of the Pompeii Archaeological Park, this method reduces the need for substances that could harm the ruins.

Sheep help cutting the grass in the unexcavated areas of #pompeii pic.twitter.com/oBk7frtWwy

— Gabriel Zuchtriegel (@GZuchtriegel) March 7, 2023

“If grass and other plants grow in or on the ancient walls and houses, this is a problem. So we try to have a sustainable approach to the whole environment in order also to avoid using substances than to avoid growing plants, having plants growing on the walls and ruins,” said Gabriel Zuchtriegel, the director of the Pompeii Archaeological Park.

A herd of 150 sheep being used in Regio V

The sheep are grazing in Regio V, an area of the city that is not yet open to visitors. The Pompeii Archaeological Park has been conducting new excavations in this area in an effort to conserve the unexplored sections of the ancient city against erosion.

Sheep graze as part of an initiative to keep the grass under control in unexcavated areas of the archaeological site in Pompeii, Italy. pic.twitter.com/xQw6LacK2L

— Anne Tootill (@toot5000) March 9, 2023

The sheep initiative is not intended to reduce carbon emissions but rather to save money and preserve the landscape. Gabriel Zuchtriegel, the director of the Pompeii Archaeological Park, says the sheep also give visitors a glimpse into how Pompeii used to look.

“It’s also something which really gives an idea of how Pompeii was in the time when it was rediscovered. It was woods, vineyards, sheep, and it was this kind of rural environment, and in the midst of that, you had Pompeii,” said Zuchtriegel.

What makes the city of Pompeii so famous?

Pompeii is renowned for its destruction in 79 CE, when the nearby Mount Vesuvius erupted, burying the city in over 19 feet (6 meters) of ash and volcanic debris.

This quick burial preserved the city for centuries before its ruins were discovered in the late 16th century. The subsequent excavation of Pompeii and the surrounding areas in the mid-18th century marked the beginning of modern archaeology.

The archaeological sites located in and around Pompeii are significant because they offer a unique insight into many facets of social, economic, religious, and political life during ancient times.