Dionysus And Herculanesus: A Brief History Of Pompeii

Part one: A.
They worshipped them at regular hours in the many shrines and temples of the city, but they also devoted a time to them in the intimacy of their own homes. Hercules, Bacchus and Venus, based on the Greek gods Heracles, Dionysus and Aphrodite, were often found in the lararium, the shrine at which the head of the household would worship his ancestors, along with members of his family and his slaves. The lararia tend to feature paintings of Hercules, the legendary founder of
Pompeii, while in small domestic shrines and courtyard gardens, theatrical masks and busts of Bacchus glorify the god of wine.
The people also rendered homage to Venus, who as the city’s official god, was expected to bring them luck and prosperity. Venus occupied a place of honour in the lararia and reigned over a large sanctuary close to the Forum.
B.
Bodies were first discovered at pompeii because there was a large number of them but now are being discovered at Herculaneum. Actual forms of bodies have been preserved at Pompeii which makes it far more accessible for visitors to see actual people and what and where they were when the eruption happened. Sara Bisel, who was the first to study human remains at Herculaneum was concerned about what to do with the skeletons once they were exposed. Casting techniques are used to create replicas of human remains which are then displayed where the original skeleton was found. This means that the original material can be studies and preserved