One of the most popular and beloved Italian dishes on the entire planet is pizza, which is a true feast for children and adults, a taste that has been passed down from generation to generation for many years.
Regarding the origin of pizza, it is said that its modern version, as we know it, originated in the 17th century in the city of Naples; however, there is evidence that this dish has a much older origin, as there are records that a very similar meal already existed in ancient Greece.
This idea could be reinforced with the discovery made recently in the new excavations in Pompeii, where a fresco representing a still life scene was discovered and where something very similar to a pizza appears.
The experts indicated that this fresco made more than 2,000 years ago does not really portray a pizza, since some main ingredients are missing, such as tomato and mozzarella cheese, but it could be an ancestor of this famous dish.
As explained by archaeologists from the Archaeological Park of Pompeii, “it is supposed that next to a glass of wine, placed on a silver tray, a ‘focaccia’ is represented, a type of flat bread that serves as a support for various fruits; identifiable is a pomegranate and perhaps a date, seasoned with spices or some kind of pesto (moretum in Latin), indicated by yellowish and ocher dots. In addition, present on the same tray, nuts and a garland of yellow strawberry trees, along with dates and pomegranates.
They explain that “this type of image, known in antiquity under the name of ‘xenia’, was inspired by the gifts offered to guests, according to a Greek tradition that dates back to Hellenistic times (3rd-1st centuries BC. C.)”.
Of the cities under Vesuvius, they explain, “about 300 of these representations are known, which often also allude to the sacred sphere, in addition to that of hospitality” but highlight the “remarkable quality of execution” of the new fresco found in the new excavations of Regio IX, as the Pompeian houses are called.
“In addition to the precise identification of the food represented, we find in this fresco some themes from the Hellenistic tradition, elaborated later by authors from the Roman-imperial era such as Virgil, Martial and Philostratus. I think of the contrast between a frugal and simple meal, which refers to an area between the bucolic and the sacred, on the one hand, and the luxury of silver trays and the refinement of artistic and literary representations”, commented the director of the Archaeological Park of Pompeii, Gabriel Zuchtriegel.
The fresco was found in the atrium of a house on Insula 10 of Regio IX, which has an attached bakery, already partially explored between 1888 and 1891 and whose investigations were resumed last January.
The structures excavated in the 19th century and partially exposed already suggested the presence of a large atrium with the classic succession of rooms on the east side and, on the opposite side, the entrance to the kiln’s production sector.
Keep reading:
* What is America’s favorite brand of pizza? This survey reveals it.
*Pepperoni or margarita pizza: the calories in one slice of each style
* New York style pizza: recipe to achieve it with a super easy recipe at home