Overheard at National Geographic

If These Walls Could Talk


Listen Later

Social Media is not just for modern folk. In ancient Pompeii, people also shared what they thought, who they met with, what they ate... It's just, they had to use different technology. For more information on this episode, visit nationalgeographic.com/overheard


Want more?

Pompeii is not just an archaeological site, it's one huge graveyard. But it was very much a living city right up until it was snuffed out by Mt. Vesuvius.

When you think of an avalanche, you probably think of snow. But volcanoes also cause avalanches. Archaeologists believe that it was an avalanche of rocketing, boiling gas and sediment that cooked Pompeiians alive in 79 A.D.

In the late 1800s, archaeologists started pouring plaster into voids left in the hardened volcanic ash covering Pompeii. The result? Full-sized casts of Vesuvius' victims -- human and otherwise.

Do you live in the shadow of a volcano? Here are a few safety tips for when that telltale rumbling begins.

Could Chernobyl be our contemporary version of Pompeii? Some archaeologists think so.


Also explore:

Curious about how Pompeii's graffiti compares to the stuff in your own backyard? Check out imagines of ancient Pompeiian graffiti at the Ancient Graffiti Project.

Vesuvius will erupt again. The question is when, and what will Pompeiians do when it does?


If you like what you hear and want to support more content like this, please consider a National Geographic subscription. Go to natgeo.com/exploremore to subscribe today. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Overheard at National GeographicBy National Geographic

  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3

4.3

9,940 ratings


More shows like Overheard at National Geographic

View all
The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,803 Listeners

Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,657 Listeners

TED Talks Daily by TED

TED Talks Daily

11,180 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,751 Listeners

Discovery by BBC World Service

Discovery

966 Listeners

TED Talks Science and Medicine by TED

TED Talks Science and Medicine

766 Listeners

The Wild with Chris Morgan by KUOW News and Information

The Wild with Chris Morgan

3,251 Listeners

HISTORY This Week by The HISTORY® Channel | Back Pocket Studios

HISTORY This Week

4,122 Listeners

Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller by National Geographic

Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller

487 Listeners

How to Be a Better Human by TED

How to Be a Better Human

1,370 Listeners

Into the Depths by National Geographic

Into the Depths

795 Listeners

How We Explore by National Geographic

How We Explore

204 Listeners

History's Heroes by BBC Radio 4

History's Heroes

487 Listeners

The Global Story by BBC World Service

The Global Story

131 Listeners

Sherlock Holmes Short Stories by NOISER

Sherlock Holmes Short Stories

736 Listeners

Ancient Civilisations by NOISER

Ancient Civilisations

167 Listeners

Titanic: Ship of Dreams by NOISER

Titanic: Ship of Dreams

887 Listeners