Archaeologists in Pompeii have uncovered the remains of an ancient wooden cabinet containing childhood charms, cosmetics, and 38 bronze coins, offering new clues about the lives of residents before Mount Vesuvius destroyed the Roman city in A.D. 79. The cabinet, which researchers say can be fully reconstructed using excavation data, was discovered inside a house traditionally known as the House of Cornelius Maximus, along Via dell’Abbondanza, one of Pompeii’s main streets.
The discovery follows earlier excavations in Pompeii that revealed household furniture and personal belongings, offering insights into the daily lives of ancient Roman residents. Researchers reconstructed the cabinet using evidence collected during excavations. Its contents suggest that residents stored personal keepsakes alongside everyday household items and objects possibly used in trade.
Ancient necklace may have been a childhood keepsake
Among the discoveries was a necklace featuring at least 24 miniature charms made from bone, glass paste, glazed ceramic and rock crystal. The ornaments depict several figures and symbols, including the gods Bes and Mercury, hands, feet, pine cones and bunches of grapes.
Researchers identified the objects as crepundia, protective charms traditionally given to Roman children. The ornaments also made sounds that helped adults follow a child’s movements. Similar protective jewelry has appeared in other Pompeii discoveries. Archaeologists previously found a bronze necklace charm beside a child’s remains in the House of Helle and Phrixus.
La memoria di una vita, racchiusa in un armadio di una donna che non fu mai più riaperto e che ora è tornato alla luce a Pompei. Trovati anche vasi,collane e monete. Si trovava nell'area centrale della città sepolta dal Vesuvio,nella casa IX 11,7 o lungo la via dell’abbondanza. pic.twitter.com/SCILaamIUO
— Franco Scarsella (@FrancoScarsell2) October 29, 2026
Some Romans kept these necklaces into adulthood as reminders of their childhood. Archaeologists believe the necklace found in the cabinet may have served a similar purpose. The cabinet also contained tweezers, a tool for preparing cosmetic pigments, a small glass bottle, an incense burner, and a bronze lamp.
Researchers recovered several bronze, glass and ceramic containers, including a decorated jug. Lead weights found nearby suggest that someone in the household may have been involved in trade.
Bronze coins raise questions about residents’ fate
Another discovery was a collection of 38 bronze coins kept inside a small woven container made from plant fibers. Their presence suggests that the residents left valuable possessions behind during the eruption.
Similar finds have emerged in other parts of Pompeii. In an earlier excavation, archaeologists discovered the remains of a woman near coins and jewelry, raising questions about whether she had tried to recover her valuables before the disaster. However, researchers cannot determine whether the owners of the newly discovered cabinet escaped or died.
Gabriel Zuchtriegel, director of the Archaeological Park of Pompeii, said ordinary objects can reveal details about ancient lives that large monuments cannot. “Pompeii is not just a place of great works of art: it is also a place where the most ordinary objects convey the human dimension of the past,” Zuchtriegel said. He noted that the findings offer insights into personal habits, work and memories, even though the residents’ identities remain unknown.
Excavation also uncovers two mice in Pompeii house
The latest excavation also revealed more about the house itself. Archaeologists first examined its facade in 1912 but only recently investigated several rooms behind it. The work forms part of a restoration project near the House of the Chaste Lovers.
Elaborate Fourth Style wall paintings suggest that the residents enjoyed a relatively comfortable standard of living. Other Pompeii houses have also revealed elaborate wall paintings and evidence of changing Roman architectural styles. However, evidence shows that construction work was underway when Vesuvius erupted.
In another unusual discovery, researchers found the remains of at least two young mice inside an amphora on an upper storage level. Laboratory examinations identified 117 bone fragments, probably belonging to the wood mouse species Apodemus sylvaticus.
Similar rodent remains have been discovered at nearby Civita Giuliana and in the ancient sewers of Herculaneum. The findings suggest that even relatively comfortable Roman households faced familiar problems, including rodents entering their homes in search of food.
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