Pompeii and Herculaneum

The British Museum in London has already begun taking bookings for next year's major exhibition Life and Death in Pompeii and Herculaneum, which opens on 28 March (CLICK). My guess is this will prove extremely popular. The burial of the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum and the mummification of their inhabitants by ash from the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79 created two fabulous time capsules of life in the Roman Empire. The last exhibition in London was nearly 40 years ago and many of the exhibits have never been displayed outside Italy. Shown is a Portrait of baker Terentius Neo and his wife, who lived in Pompeii (AD 55–79). Admission is £15 for adults and for silver surfers! However, between 12.00 and 16.30 on Mondays, silver surfers can gain entry for £7.50. CLICK for a Telegraph slide show of the cities and some exhibits.