I’ve been thinking about events that happened in different countries at different times in the world and their results for a while. I am interested in changes and transformations after traumatic events. In this article, again, I will tell about a trip, an event that had an impact on history, and my impressions.
A wonderful place that has been lived thousands of years ago and left its mark and has been the subject of various interpretations, movies, and books: POMPEII
I would like to tell you about Pompeii and its people who were turned to stone… In July of 2022 (last summer), I went to Naples, because the closest international airport for our route was Naples Airport (NAP). Southern Italy is a must-see for anyone who has the means…
Naples; Its narrow streets and historical buildings make you feel like “Where am I?” in the first place, let me admit. ?
I recommend renting a car. I prefer a car, but you can have this experience by taking a “South Italy” tour from various countries.
As I begin the article, let me tell you a funny memory that happened to me, and let’s laugh together, before coming to the sad Pompeii story: After getting off the plane and renting the car, I started walking through the narrow streets of Naples to get to the hotel. Despite the navigation, I started to wander around, it is normal for me to get lost on the roads. ? The roads were so narrow that it was inevitable that I would get into trouble. Right near the hotel, it was starting to get dark. I panicked a little but didn’t make the people around me feel it. ? I tried to cross a narrow alley and got stuck with the car! Believe me, I don’t know how the Italians use those streets. I cannot tell you the panic I felt. The streets are a bit like Hong Kong and Balat-Fener in Istanbul… They are narrow, dark, and full of old-colored buildings. When the car is stuck: Cars begin to pile up in front and behind. Can you imagine? They were driving on that narrow road, two-way, in turns !!! When I came, Italians started getting out of their cars and talking with their fast speeches, telling us something. I was ready to hand over the key and the car to them and run away. By the way, I must say that they are very understanding and helpful. I think they like helping women. ? They patiently helped me get my car out of that narrow street, without getting angry and politely…
If you have planned a trip to Southern Italy, I think one night in Naples is enough. The food is legendary everywhere…
Early in the morning, we set out for Pompeii, the main subject of my article. The roads started getting better, and I was relieved because I got rid of those narrow, dark streets!
When we came to Pompeii, we came across a very beautiful, charming town. It was so beautiful that if it weren’t for what happened thousands of years ago, you might think it’s an ordinary tourist town. Before visiting the city, we ate our meals in a delicious Italian restaurant and drank our limoncellos served after dinner.
Then we started to tour the city, while writing my impressions, I have to tell you the sad story of Pompeii:
First of all, Pompeii is a city located 25-30 km from Naples, Italy. This city is in the southern part of Naples. It is estimated that it was founded in 5000 BC. There is a volcano called Vesuvius in the city of Pompeii, where the Roman Empire ruled. The volcano erupted violently in 79 BC. After the Vesuvius volcano erupted, exactly 1937 years ago, all the people were turned into stone and died. And Mount Vesuvius covered them with lava.
The city of Pompeii was rich and very close to the island of Capri and the sea. It was like a paradise in those years (79 BC.). Even it was one of the cities where the trade of the period was at the highest level, both in terms of its proximity to the sea and its location. In the city of Pompeii, the elite of the Romans, enlightened and wealthy people lived.
Here is my impression: The city has now been restored and almost returned to its days. It looks like an open-air museum… It has thousands of visitors. It overflows with abundance and promises happiness. You can feel the magnificence of those days. Stone buildings that are thought to be colorful, hot air, seeing olive trees and lemon tree figures everywhere, and lemon scents gave me this impression. (T. Yazici)
It is also known that the city of Pompeii is one of the entertainment centers and is a place where gambling is played. However, it is also known that slaves were killed by different slaves in the city, and fights were held at night. Pompeii was a city where brutality and all kinds of inhuman things were experienced. In addition, it is reported by historians that life is lived without any boundaries in sexuality. Some tablets on the walls reveal their way of life.
On that day; Vesuvius erupted so violently that it buried the entire city in lava to a depth of 6 to 8 meters. While the city was destroyed, the people and everything else around were turned to stone. These findings are from the beginning of the 18th century; it was found by chance when a villager was working in the field and stuck on a pickaxe. Later, this wall hit with a pickaxe has been traced and the remains of Pompeii were reached. According to the research, in 79 BC., about 200,000 people died when the volcano erupted violently.
The impact of the explosion and the lava was so great that most people couldn’t even move. With the explosion, people started to run away. Some panicked people started to run towards the port, while some closed themselves in their homes. (They understand this from people who were turned into stones!) A nasty surprise awaited those running towards the port. The sea swelled, and raging waves dragged ships into the lava. At the same time, hot stones in the form of large grains of sand began to rain from the sky. Those who refuge in their homes ran outside so as not to suffocate from the dense sulfur fumes, and this time, died with stones raining on them.
An ethnographer, Prof. Dr. Carlo Giardano described what happened in Pompeii as follows: “A cloud of ash suddenly rising from the mouth of the volcano at noon that day covered all of Pompeii within a few hours. So, the city fell into a very long sleep of silence. The city’s slumber lasted centuries until excavations brought the stones, furniture, and artifacts back to life.
The fact that thousands of people living here were caught by surprise despite being so close to danger is Vesuvius was under a completely different landscape at that time. Mount Vesuvius’s slopes are decorated with villas of famous politicians, a wooded place surrounded by vineyards and gardens.
The restored current state makes you feel the magnificence of those days. Strangely enough, the city seems to be alive! I can’t explain if I had this feeling because I was traveling with thousands of tourists or if I felt something mystical. As an example, a power brought this civilization to light after thousands of years. Human greed, wars, races, and everything that belongs to life have become insignificant for the moment with the lava of the Vesuvius volcano.
When the city of Pompeii combined with the view overlooking the island of Capri, the smell of the sea in your nose and lemon trees; prevented people from seeing the danger of Mount Vesuvius. Also, an eruption occurred on the volcano in ancient times. However, it was not severe and there was no human life then. These small eruptions were discovered much later by a Greek geographer who didn’t need to tell people that either. Therefore, people have led a carefree life. In any case, people living in the city of Pompeii could not see anything but money and pleasure. So, if he had even mentioned the eruption to them, people wouldn’t care anyway. An earthquake that occurred in 62 BC., could be considered a harbinger of this disaster. The city had so many earthquakes that the people got used to it. According to geologists; The cause of death of people was sulfur gas. The reason why they turned to stone was the hardening of the volcanic dust spewed by the volcano. These lavas formed a mold, and the body inside decayed over time, but the mold remained the same. (Source: Gelgez Magazine)
However, there are many predictions outside of the scientific aspects. Scriptures have comments on this. Pompeii is also known as a place of surprising freedom.
What happened to the people of Pompeii is a real tragedy that continues to affect us centuries later. If there is any hope in this immortalized destruction, it is that the effects of the catastrophe have allowed unprecedented access to the ancient world. The ruins are like a bridge built between the past and the present, only those who have been there will understand what I mean. The sight of creatures turned to stone was exemplary. I will not share photos of creatures turned to stone. I feel a sense of privacy. But if anyone is curious, you can find it on Google. (T. Yazici)
What I felt after I have been visited Pompeii: That life was an illusion. In this life; Everything can be very good, and everything can be very bad. But at the end of the day, if you have come to this life; You have to make good use of every moment. Images turned into sculptures containing every emotion. Despite Vesuvius, the people of Pompeii chose to live at its foot, because life is beautiful despite all its dangers. Since life continues there now, it is necessary to pray not to encounter the anger of Vesuvius.
I would like to end my words with Japanese philosophy. I will mention the Kintsugi philosophy, which is almost a clue for the traumas that occur as a result of uncontrollable situations and post situations:
“Kintsugi; A remarkable Japanese art, philosophy, of gracefully mending broken pottery. Approaching it more broadly, Kintsugi is a tradition with a lot to teach us about dealing with the broken pieces of ourselves. “
Bringing the Kintsugi Philosophy into Our Lives
Bonding the broken objects with powder gold, silver, or platinum from the place where they were broken, revealing them more instead of hiding the broken places during this process… Objects shouting “I am broken” …
Photograph: Instagram/ @laurette.b
When I first heard about this procedure, I liked it. The “offended/broken” things in the image became more valuable, adding completely different memories to themselves. The repaired works take their originality from their brokenness. This 500-year-old idea, which offers us a very special life lesson, teaches that nothing is broken.
Nothing breaks; it transforms. This transformation sometimes takes years, centuries, and sometimes thousands of years. Just as Pompeii did not disappear, it reappeared after thousands of years to remind humanity of some values.
May it be for the good of all.
Until the next post, let’s stay healthy and happy.
Tugba YAZICI
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Referans : The Magger/Ceren Oguz/ Kinstugi
