The Archaeological Investigation in Pompeii

Research Project

Project/Area Number	02041105
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Overseas Scientific Survey.
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Research Institution	The Paleological Association of Japan, INC.
Principal Investigator	TSUNODA Bun-ei The Paleological Association of Japan, INC. Director and Professor, 古代学研究所, 所長 (70072709)
Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha)	RIKIMARU Atsushi Hosei University, Faculty of Engineering. Lecturer, 工学部, 非常勤講師 MUROOKA Katsutaka Tokyo Technical College. Lecturer, 教員 NISHIDA Yasutami The Paleological Association of Japan, INC. Assistant, 古代学研究所, 助手 (80172667) SAKAI Satoshi The Paleological Association of Japan, INC. Assistant, 古代学研究所, 助手 (20215586) TSUJIMURA Sumiyo The Paleological Association of Japan, INC. Lecturer, 古代学研究所, 講師 (60183480) KAWANISHI Hiroyuki The Paleological Association of Japan, INC. Associate Professor, 古代学研究所, 助教授 (70132800) ASAKA Tadashi Doshisha University, Faculty of Letters. Professor, 教授 (70066059)
Project Period (FY)	1990
Project Status	Completed (Fiscal Year 1990)
Keywords	Pompeii / Urbanism / Urban functions / Insula / Wheel ruts / Traffic systems
Research Abstract	This archaeological investigation at the site of Pompeii, Italy, which was made from Nov. through Dec. in 1990, focused on two purposes : Pompeii, its urbanism and functions as a city. In order to elucidate the urbanism, the investigation is concentrated on the eastward district of Via Stabia, which runs through meridionally the city, the district so-called "new city". Concerning the urbanism of this district, there are several hypotheses among the scholars. As the result of our research, surveying the Insulae at the edge of the sidewalks surrounding them, we could make clear that in this district the Insulae were formed considering the geographical feature. To be brief, the rectangular-shaped Insulae are formed on the plateau, while the parallelogram-shaped Insulae are found on the slope. The trapezoid-shaped Insulae, the conjunctional form between the two types, is found just at the end of the slope to the plateau. The measurement data were inputted into the computer in order to analyze the standard for the survey. In the meantime the edging stones were recorded and analyzed by their sorts and the standard to follow the sequence of the construction of roads. For the research to approach the urban functions, we took notice of the wheel ruts left on the pavements. It is already known that the wheel span of a carts at that time had a standard of some 140cm. Since many roads are too narrow to allow the on-coming traffic, there must have been some regulations on the direction of traffic. By our investigation, observing the directions and the shapes of the ruts and their relation to the sidewalks or stepping-stones, the courses of the carts were made clear on some roads. These facts would be integrated as the traffic system all over the city of Pompeii.