Nuova pianta degli scavi di Pompei - Vintage map, Norman B. Leventhal Collection

Located at the southeastern base of Mount Vesuvius, the ruins of the ancient city of Pompeii were discovered in the late 16th century; however, serious archaeological excavations did not begin at the site until the mid-18th century. The city had been "preserved in time" for nearly 1,700 years after Vesuvius exploded in 79 CE and buried the site in nearly 23 feet of volcanic debris. The 1862 map displayed here illustrates the excavations of Pompeii as they existed at that time, and lists 95 points of interest, including the Forum (65), the Triangular Forum (84) and the Amphitheatre (89).
Courtesy of Boston Public Library