Bakery ‘prison’ discovered in ruins of Roman city

Archaeologists have said that the ruins of the ancient Roman city of Pompeii have revealed the presence of a bakery prison in what they say is ‘a very disturbing aspect of ancient slavery’.

Enslaved people were exploited to grind grain and make bread in a cramped bakery with iron bars on the windows and no way to the outside world.

The bakery was found in a house as part of a larger project in the Reggio Nine area of ​​the Pompeii Archaeological Park in southern Italy. The discovery has revealed more evidence about the daily lives of Pompeii’s enslaved people that is often overlooked in the history of the ancient city.

A statement from the archaeological park said that traces on the floor were also found indicating the movement of animals that were forced to walk blindfolded for hours.

‘It’s a place where we have to imagine the presence of people who were slaves,’ says Pompeii director Gabriel Zouk Tragel.

‘This is the most shocking aspect of ancient slavery, devoid of both the bonds of trust and the promise of freedom, where we have turned to brutal violence, an impression fully confirmed by the few windows supported by iron bars. It is done by securing from.

The house is believed to have been under renovation when Mount Vesuvius erupted in AD 79, destroying Pompeii and burying it under volcanic ash.

Thousands of Roman citizens who had no idea they were living at the foot of one of Europe’s largest volcanic mountains perished.

Although the volcano buried the city under a thick layer of ash, many of its residents and buildings were spared.

Archaeological excavations have recently begun at the site, with the aim of reversing years of destruction and neglect.

A major reason for this work is a recent 10.5 million euro ($11.3 million) project funded by the European Union.

In August, archaeologists discovered a small room in a Roman palace near Pompeii that was almost certainly used by slaves.

An exhibition dedicated to the enslaved people of Pompeii will open on December 15 at the Archaeological Park.