Belgian Family Discovers Long-Lost Pompeii Artifact, Acquired as a Souvenir
In Belgium, a lost artifact from the Italian city of Pompeii has been found in the de Temmerman family's home, where it had been for half a century. Throughout this time, the marble bas-relief adorned the wall near the staircase leading to the basement, as reported by Artnet. The archaeological artifact, dating back to approximately 62 BCE, depicts a scene of the earthquake that occurred in the same year, illustrating the fall of Pompeii's gates.
The 80-year-old homeowner, Raphael de Temmerman, and his son, Gert de Temmerman, shared that during their trip to Italy in 1975, they were offered to purchase a souvenir – carved stones depicting a scene of the earthquake by an unknown artist from Pompeii. Unaware of the significance of the item, the family decided to use it as a decorative element in their home.
When the family decided to sell their house in the village of Herzele, located in East Flanders, they sought to determine if this bas-relief held any value. Experts from the local Gallo-Roman museum confirmed its authenticity by comparing it to a similar fragment featuring ruins of buildings destroyed during an earthquake.
"When they started shining a flashlight on it, I heard them exclaim, 'Yes, it's genuine,' and they nearly fell over," said Gert de Temmerman.
Researchers determined that both parts of the artifact were once part of a banker's house, who lived in the center of Pompeii over 2000 years ago. Now, it will be studied by experts to confirm its authenticity before being returned to Pompeii.
Police also arrived at the de Temmerman family home in Herzele to investigate how this archaeological treasure ended up there. The de Temmerman family expressed willingness to cooperate and return the object but hopes for financial compensation, considering that nothing happened to the work of art over the 50 years in their possession.
It's worth noting that the city of Pompeii in Italy was destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE and is now an archaeological site protected by the UN. Parts of excavated Pompeii serve as an open-air museum.
Reminder: In the United Kingdom, a small team of amateur archaeologists from the Collyweston Historical Preservation Society discovered the walls of a lost Tudor palace in the garden of local residents in Northamptonshire.