Archaeologists working in the ancient Roman city of Pompeii have uncovered graffiti that has thrown into question the long-held belief that the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius occurred on 24 August, 79 AD.
Recent excavations of a room in the Regio V area of the city have revealed a charcoal inscription reading “XVI K Nov” – meaning “the 16th day before the calends of November, or October 17 in the modern calendar”, CNN says.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Why India's medical schools are running low on bodiesUnder The Radar A shortage of cadavers to train on is forcing institutions to go digital
-
Magazine solutions - November 22, 2024Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - November 22, 2024
-
Magazine printables - November 22, 2024Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - November 22, 2024
-
The mystery of Roman coins discovered on remote Baltic Sea islandSpeed Read Archaeologists have found two silver denarii coins in area where ‘contact with Romans was limited’
-
Windrush activist lists ‘100 great black Britons’Speed Read The Black History Month project celebrates individuals who collectively span the past 400 years
-
BLM: almost 100 National Trust properties linked to slavery and colonialismSpeed Read Review reveals ‘uncomfortable truths’ behind homes owned by famous figures including Winston Churchill and Rudyard Kipling
-
Archaeologists map Roman city using ‘quad bike and radar’Speed Read New scanning system reveals ‘elaborate’ details of ancient settlement
-
Iron Age coins: how record-breaking £10m hoard was discoveredSpeed Read Two amateur treasures hunters handed Guinness World Records title after unearthing pre-Christian haul on Jersey
-
Why May Day bank holiday is set to move in 2020Speed Read Government considering switching date in order to mark VE Day anniversary
-
Mystery of Nottinghamshire ‘witch cave’Speed Read Cave carvings initially thought to be graffiti now believed to be UK’s biggest collection of ‘apotropaic’ signs
-
Matthew Flinders: explorer’s grave discovered in LondonSpeed Read HS2 dig unearths lost remains of celebrated navigator more than 200 years after he put Australia on the map
