Excavating Oplontis: the Tale of a
Roman Settlement Buried by Vesuvius
In 79 C.E. the eruption of Vesuvius
buried a well-organized and densely populated landscape that included the towns
of Pompeii and Herculaneum. The site of Oplontis, located in-between the towns
in modern Torre Annunziata, offers a glimpse on that landscape where excavators
uncovered an imperial villa as well as traces of a settlement and commercial
establishments. In this talk, Assistant Professor of Art History Ivo Van der Graaff will discuss the latest results
of research conducted by the Oplontis Project, which dedicates itself to the
study and full publication of the structures preserved at Oplontis.
The Center for the Humanities annually hosts a series of informal lectures featuring the recipients of faculty fellowships. The talks focus on the fellows’ research. They provide an opportunity for faculty members to learn more about each other’s work and allow the Center to show off some of the intellectual riches it has helped foster. The goal of the series is to create a collegial environment that encourages discussion.