Herculaneum is less famous than Pompeii but even more remarkably preserved. It was a vibrant Roman town on the Bay of Naples until it was entombed in molten mud during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. Unlike Pompeii, the superheated wave that struck Herculaneum preserved wooden furniture, frescoes, scrolls, and even food in eerie, vivid detail. In 1982, archaeologists discovered the remains of over 300 Herculaneum citizens, who sought shelter in boat sheds near the ancient shoreline, whe

Pompeii and the Eruption of Mount Vesuvius: A Timeline