Global Courant
A still life fresco recently discovered in the ruins of ancient Pompeii was initially thought to depict a pizza, but archaeologists say it’s not the iconic Italian dish after all.
The fresco was painted some 2,000 years ago, long before the main ingredients in pizza – tomatoes and mozzarella – arrived in Italy.
Tomatoes were only introduced to Europe from America a few centuries ago. It is widely believed that the discovery of mozzarella led directly to the invention of pizza in nearby Naples in the 18th century.
This photo, taken on Tuesday, June 27, 2023, by the Archaeological Park of Pompeii, shows the wall of an ancient house in Pompeii with a fresco of a table with food. (Pompeii Archaeological Park via AP)
The image in the ancient fresco is instead believed to be a focaccia topped with fruit, including pomegranate and possibly dates, topped with herbs or some kind of pesto, experts said. In the fresco it is served on a silver plate and a wine chalice stands beside it.
The fresco depicts a relatively austere meal served in a luxurious setting, seen through the silver tray. This is not unlike the modern pizza that was born as a “poor man’s dish in southern Italy (but) has conquered the world and is served in starred restaurants,” says Gabriel Zuchtriegel, director of the Pompeii Archaeological Site.
TOURIST DAMAGES ANCIENT COLOSSEUM OF ROME AND ENGRAVES NAMES ON THE WALL
The ancient Roman city of Pompeii was destroyed by the eruption of nearby Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. The sudden and deadly event left much of the structure intact, embalmed in volcanic ash, and the site is now a major archaeological project and tourist attraction.
This photo, taken on Tuesday, June 27, 2023, by the Archaeological Park of Pompeii, shows the wall of an ancient Pompeian house with frescoes, one with a table of food. (Pompeii Archaeological Park via AP)
The lobby of Coldiretti ag immediately seized upon the discovery of the fresco to promote pizza – invented as a quick meal for the working poor – as a national treasure. Today, pizza represents a third of the food budget of foreign visitors and generates total annual sales of $16.4 billion in Italy.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
The Art of the Neapolitan Pizza Maker was listed as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2017, recognized for its four stages of dough preparation and for being baked exclusively in a wood oven at 905 degrees Fahrenheit.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Bradford Betz is a Fox News Digital breaking reporter covering crime, political issues and much more.
