Herculaneum Pompeii

The entrance to the ruins is through Porta Marina, perhaps the most famous of the gates of the city, so called because it faces the sea. In more ancient times it was also called Porta Neptunia, because near it there was a small tempie dedicated to Neptune. It is composed of two openings, covered by a single vault one was for pedestrians, the other, larger one, was for animals and vehicles. Much of the evidence of the life and civilization of Pompeii is to be found in the Antiquarium. It was found in 1861, destroyed by bombs in 1 943 and finally rebuilt in 1948. It is composed of four rooms. The first two contain objects of the Samnite and Pre-Samnite Periods, mainly terracottas, Eutruscan pottery and sculptures in tuff. The third and fourth rooms, contain exhibits from Roman Pompeii, including the famous plaster casts of people and animals.