BREAKING NEWS – Naples, Italy – A group of archaeologists excavating the doomed city of Pompeii found quite the surprise earlier this week: a banquet hall complete with paintings inspired by the Trojan War.
The banquet hall and its mosaic floor were uncovered during a project to help prevent further demise of the ruins of Pompeii.
Pompeii was a bustling city near Naples until the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in A.D. 79. The volcano destroyed the entire city, killing thousands — yet left it remarkably preserved.
The city sat under a layer of volcanic ash for centuries until it was re-discovered in the 18th century, says the website for the Smithsonian.
One of the most interesting things discovered at the banquet hall, was that window seating was reserved for VIPs, because it had “a beautiful view of Mount Vesuvius.” One of the patrons whose remains were well preserved, had scribbled on the restaurant floor as he was dying, “There is no way I’m leaving these people a tip!”