Ancient cosmetics, coins, mouse skeletons found in Pompeii home shed light on life before deadly eruption

Key Points:

• Archaeologists discovered ancient items in a sealed closet in a Pompeii home, providing insights into daily life before Mount Vesuvius's eruption in A.D. 79, including cosmetics, an incense burner, a bronze lantern, and commercial weights.
• A notable find was a multi-material necklace with miniature objects, known as "crepundia," believed to have protective and possibly magical significance during the Roman era, reflecting cultural practices related to childhood and adulthood.
• The presence of 38 bronze coins left in a container suggests the owners did not have time to retrieve their valuables, indicating they may have fled or perished during the eruption, with no heirs reclaiming the items.
• Although the home, located on a main street and previously linked to Cornelius Maximus, showed signs of a certain standard of living, the discovery of mouse skeletons highlights challenges Pompeii residents faced, such as dealing with pests.
• The findings enrich understanding of Pompeii residents' daily lives, even if the exact identity of the home's occupants remains unknown, as archaeologists continue to explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site to uncover more about the ancient city's past.