Two Domus Reopen at Herculaneum After 25-Year Restoration

Herculaneum: Two of Herculaneum’s most well-known domus, the House of the Tuscan Colonnade and the House of the Wooden Sacellum, have reopened after being closed for 25 years due to a comprehensive restoration process. These ancient Roman houses, buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD along with Pompeii, are now accessible to the public once again.

According to Ansa News Agency, the reopening also includes the room of the custodian of the Augustales’ sacellum, featuring a skeleton believed to be of the custodian of the college. New analyses are underway to solve this historical mystery, with results expected soon, stated Culture Minister Alessandri Giuli. Efforts are also being made on the suburban baths of Herculaneum, a significant public building known for its exquisite coverings and marbles, which remain the best-preserved thermal structure of the ancient world.

The restoration of these domus is part of the first phase of the Domus project, a collaborative effort between the Herculaneum Archaeological Park and the Packard Humanities Institute. Giuli announced that this partnership will continue with a 45 million euros investment aimed at resuming archaeological excavations and applying new technologies to enhance research and heritage appreciation, as well as constructing new warehouses and laboratories.

Giuli described the collaboration as a “fruitful and far-sighted” alliance, noting its potential impact on urban development. This includes redeveloping a neighborhood adjacent to the excavations and building a new complex of structures to help remove modern infrastructures around the archaeological site and extend excavation limits.

Francesco Sirano, director of the Park, highlighted that new opportunities are emerging due to a memorandum of understanding signed in July with the Packard Humanities Institute. This agreement will facilitate new construction and a significant resumption of large-scale archaeological research in the eastern areas of the ancient city, nearly a century after the initial excavations led by Maiuri.

In conjunction with these reopenings, the Park has launched an App that serves as a guide, providing access to a wealth of digital knowledge about the site.