2,000-Year-Old Fresco Resembling Pizza Unearthed in Pompeii

Archaeologists in Pompeii have discovered a 2,000-year-old fresco that strikingly resembles a modern pizza, found during new excavations in insula 10 of Regio IX. The still-life painting, located on the wall of an ancient house that once housed a bakery with an oven, depicts a flat focaccia-like bread topped with fruits (possibly a pomegranate and a date) and spices or a type of pesto, alongside a silver tray with a wine goblet. Although tomatoes and mozzarella—key pizza ingredients—were absent in ancient times, the image is considered a possible ancestor of the dish. The discovery coincides with an exhibition in Naples organized by the UPSN (Unione Pizzaioli Storici Napoletani) tracing the evolution of pizza makers over the last century. Italian Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano praised the site's global value, while Pompeii Archaeological Park Director Gabriel Zuchtriegel highlighted the contrast between the frugal meal and the luxury of silver vessels, drawing a parallel to pizza's origins as a poor Southern Italian dish now served in Michelin-starred restaurants. This find follows other major restorations at Pompeii, including the Chariot of the Bride (discovered in 2021 and fully restored), the House of the Vettii, and the mosaic floor of the Stabian Baths, with a high-speed train connecting Rome to Pompeii planned for 2024.