In Pompeii, a woman's wardrobe resurfaces with beauty items and jewels

In ancient Pompeii, the interior of a woman's wardrobe from house IX 11, 7, or the house of Cornelius Maximus, has been unearthed. This discovery, made by archaeologists, offers a glimpse into the life of a woman before the city was destroyed by Vesuvius in AD 79. Among the items found are makeup tools (tweezers, a spatula for mixing pigments), a glass balsamarium, a perfume burner, a bronze lamp, lead weights, and a small wooden box with faint traces remaining.

The woman's wardrobe also contained vases and pots made of bronze, glass, and ceramic, along with a necklace composed of miniature objects representing deities, feet and hands, pine cones, and bunches of grapes. Such necklaces, known as crepundia, were sometimes considered magical objects used in spells and potions, but were likely small keepsakes of childhood for children and adults alike.

Additionally, the wardrobe held a hoard of 38 bronze coins, suggesting the owner may not have had time to recover their valuables during the catastrophe. The excavation has also revealed interesting details about the House of Cornelius Maximus, with refined Fourth Style wall paintings, indicating a standard of living associated with the central position of the house overlooking a major artery in the ancient city.