Pompeii wardrobe reveals coins and a child's necklace
Perfume bottle and child’s necklace among treasures found in Pompeii wardrobe
Friday, 30 October 2026
Photo by David Valentine on Unsplash
Warm-up
- What comes to your mind when you hear the word Pompeii?
- Have you ever visited ancient ruins? Where and what did you see?
- Which personal item would you keep safe if you had to leave home quickly?
Vocabulary
- archaeologist
- A scientist who studies past people and places by examining objects and sites.
- eruption
- An explosion from a volcano that sends out ash, gas and lava.
- wardrobe
- A tall cupboard used for storing clothes and personal items.
- necklace
- Jewellery worn around the neck.
- charm
- A small decorative piece on a bracelet or necklace.
- coins
- Flat, round money pieces made of metal.
- restoration
- Work done to repair and protect an old building or object.
- ruins
- The broken remains of a building or city from the past.
Reading
Listen to this story
British EnglishArchaeologists have uncovered personal objects in the ruins of Pompeii, sealed since the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD79. The finds were tucked inside a wooden wardrobe. They were in a home on Via dell'Abbondanza, one of the city's busiest streets.
The items included tweezers, a small glass perfume bottle, an incense burner and a bronze lantern. There were also 38 bronze coins, cooking pots and a wooden box with lead weights. The most striking piece was a child's necklace, a crepundia. It had more than 20 small charms showing gods such as Bes and Mercury. Archaeologists also found the skeletons of two mice in an amphora kept in a storage area.
Gabriel Zuchtriegel, director of the Pompeii archaeological park, commented on the scene. He said the money and personal objects suggest the owners fled quickly. The house has been linked to a person called Cornelius Maximus from old inscriptions. Its facade was first excavated in 1912. Rooms are now being studied as part of a wider restoration. Work also continues at the Villa of the Mysteries to study servants' daily life.
Comprehension
- Where were the objects discovered in Pompeii?
- Which item was considered the most striking find?
- How many bronze coins were found in the wardrobe?
- What does Gabriel Zuchtriegel think the items left behind suggest?
- Which other site is being excavated to study servants' daily life?
Grammar focus
Present perfect vs past simple
Use present perfect (have/has + past participle) for a past action with a result now or no finished time: since/for/so far/this year. Use past simple for a finished past time: in 1912, last week, in AD79.
- Archaeologists have uncovered personal objects in Pompeii.
- The finds were tucked inside a wooden wardrobe.
Grammar exercise
Complete each gap with present perfect or past simple.
- Since AD79, the objects (remain) ___ sealed.
- In 1912, the facade (excavate) ___ for the first time.
- So far, archaeologists (find) ___ a crepundia with 20+ charms.
- Last week, a team (open) ___ a new trench.
- Since the discovery, experts (analyse) ___ the wardrobe items.
Discussion
- Why do discoveries like this matter to us today?
- Which personal item would best tell your story to future people?
- How should authorities protect ancient ruins with many visitors?
- Would you like to visit Pompeii? Why or why not?
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