POMPEII, ITALY—According to a report in The Guardian, a well-preserved thermopolium, a type of fast food counter found throughout the Roman world—complete with colorful frescoes—has been discovered in the Regio V section of Pompeii. Not yet open to the public, Regio V comprises a largely unexcavated section of Pompeii just north of the Pompeii Archaeological Park, and covers more than 50 acres. Ongoing archaeological investigations in the area, which is at risk of collapse, have produced dozens of discoveries in recent months. The 150 or so thermopolia believed to have been operating in Pompeii at the time of the A.D. 79 eruption of Mount Vesuvius were mostly patronized by the city's poorer residents, who often had little access to home kitchen facilities. These snack bars typically served simple fare, such as rustic bread, salt fish, garum, and wine. To read more about archaeology in Pompeii, go to “Saving the Villa of the Mysteries.”
