Pompeii exhibit gives Graceland visitors glimpse into ‘time capsule’
“Pompeii: The Exhibition” opens at Graceland Exhibition Center Friday, Nov. 15. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian)
Pompeii is a place and era frozen in time, a result of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D.
The volcanic eruption left people, landscape and furnishings in the state they were at the time of the blast of ash, pumice and noxious gases into the the Italian city, burying it under multiple feet of ash and debris. The preservation makes it one of the unique archeological finds.
Starting Friday, Nov. 15, Memphians can get a glimpse into life in Pompeii before and during the infamous eruption in 79 A.D.
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Graceland Exhibition Center is hosting “Pompeii: The Exhibition,” where visitors can see more than 150 artifacts preserved from the volcanic matter that ultimately ruined the Roman city.
“I think it’s very important for people to know anything about history, but this one is a really unique experience because it’s a time capsule,” said Jason Simmons, executive vice president for World Heritage Exhibitions. “We can look back across 2,000 years and see how people lived, how they, unfortunately, died. It’s awesome to see people have not changed that much in 2,000 years.”
A cast of a small child who died in Pompeii is on display at “Pompeii: The Exhibition.” Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 A.D. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian)
The artifacts, brought in on nine semitrailers, are on loan from the Naples National Archaeological Museum and the Archaeological Park of Pompeii. The artifacts are supplemented by projections, audio, video and photographs to give guests the chance to dig into life in the bustling port city.
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Julia Baker
A lifelong Memphian, Julia Baker graduated from the University of Memphis in 2021. Other publications and organizations she has written for include Chalkbeat, Memphis Flyer, Memphis Parent magazine and Memphis magazine.
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