Life and Death in Pompeii and Herculaneum at The British Museum is open from 28th March– 29 September 2013. Learn about Pompeii and Herculaneum and learn about the tragedy that befell these two great Roman cities. Despite their destruction, much of their city lies preserved in ash and over 250 of its artefacts will be displayed at the museum.

The two cities were both victims of the volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79 and were lost from memory for over 1700 years. The exhibition shows how the people of these cities lived and showcases many items that have never been seen previously outside of Italy.

Though Pompeii and Herculaneum suffered the same fate, their different locations had a severe impact on how the artefacts were preserved. The exhibition examines this more closely, though its main focus is on the way the average person lived, analysing a broad range of people from children and freed slaves, to businessmen and powerful women.

Amongst the priceless artefacts, you should most certainly look out for the intricate gold serpent bracelet which clearly demonstrates the wealth of the city and their high level of craftsmanship. However, other items have a more sombre tone, such as the plaster casts of family huddled together to hide from the volcano’s wrath, and also a cast of a dog that forever captures the moment when it was caught by the pyroclastic flow. Makes sure you don’t miss out on this spectacular exhibition!