Discovery of a Bakery- Prison in Pompeii

In the heart of ancient Pompeii, within Regio IX, insula 10, recent excavations have unveiled a remarkable yet harrowing glimpse into the past. These efforts are part of a comprehensive project aimed at securing and preserving the unexplored perimeters of this historic city. Among the findings is a distinctive bakery-prison, a testament to the grueling conditions endured by both humans and animals in the process of bread-making.

This facility, now brought to light, reveals a cramped space devoid of external views, where small windows, barred with iron grates, barely allowed the passage of light. The ground bears notches, marking the relentless path tread by blindfolded animals, forced into laborious movement for hours on end.

The dig has also uncovered a house under renovation, typical of the era, partitioned into a living area adorned with sophisticated IV-style frescoes, and a section dedicated to the production of bread. Despite the refurbishments, this dwelling was far from deserted, as evidenced by the discovery of three victims in one of the bakery sectors in recent months.

These findings offer a stark visual representation of the backbreaking labor that men, women, and animals were subjected to in ancient mills, a reality poignantly documented by the second-century AD writer Apuleius in Metamorphoses IX 11-13. Through the protagonist Lucius, transformed into a donkey and sold to a miller, Apuleius provides a firsthand account of such oppressive environments.

The unearthed production area, isolated from the outside and accessible only through the atrium, lacked doors or road access to the stable, a design choice indicative of a deliberate restriction of movement for those of servile status. Gabriel Zuchtriegel, Director of the Pompeii excavations, comments on the findings in a recent publication, highlighting the grim reality of ancient slavery where individuals were subjected to brute violence, an impression underscored by the iron-barred windows.

Adjacent to the stable, the millstone area features semicircular recesses in volcanic basalt slabs, likely carved to prevent draught animals from slipping and to guide their movements in a “circular furrow,” as described by Apuleius. This setup suggests a methodical operation, akin to a clockwork mechanism, geared towards synchronizing the animals’ movements around the millstones.

Iconographic and literary evidence, such as reliefs from the tomb of Eurysaces in Rome, indicate that a millstone typically required the combined efforts of a donkey and a slave, the latter responsible for overseeing the grinding process, inciting the animal, and managing the grain and flour.

This glimpse into the daily struggles of those who lived and labored in Pompeii complements the narrative presented in the upcoming exhibition “The Other Pompeii: Common Lives in the Shadow of Vesuvius,” opening December 15 at the Palestra Grande in Pompeii. The exhibition aims to shed light on the lives of individuals, particularly slaves, who played a pivotal role in the economy, culture, and social fabric of Roman civilization, yet remain largely overlooked in historical accounts.

Reflecting on these discoveries, Director Zuchtriegel underscores the significance of such spaces in understanding the drive towards societal change in ancient times. He notes the contemporary relevance of the writings of Paul, a member of a small religious group who advocated for servitude not to earthly masters, but to a heavenly one, highlighting a yearning for transformation in a world marked by profound inequality and suffering.