American Pompeii

[Adsos Letter]

...perhaps 2,000 years from now the archaeologists may find it so.

[Blue_In_AK]

1. I always wonder what future archeologists are going to think

when they dig up the remnants of our civilization. `How will they interpret a scene such as yours? Will they think this is some kind of tomb with heiroglyphs? Will someone try to figure out what it all means?

[dixiegrrrrl]

2. Wonder if they will think people lived in these "caves"

and drew on the walls to decorate it.

[HappyCynic]

13. The worst part about the remnants...

If our own archaeological tendencies are any indications, most things will be cast in a religious light. The graffiti won't be the worst thing. That would be the plastic figures that survive. Future archaeologists might think there was widespread worship of the fertility goddess named Barbie.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

3. you are assuming our concrete

will last that long...I doubt it

[Adsos Letter]

8. I doubt it too; it's already getting crumbly, and spalling in places.

I doubt much of anything will go the distance without constant maintainance in the conditions on the Marin Headlands.

[alfredo]

4. ancient Roman and Pompeii graffiti

From Pompeii:



"I've caught a cold."

"Lucius painted this."

"Figulus loves Idaia"

"Atimetus got me pregnant" I wonder if that is Atimetus in the above picture?

"Once you are dead, you are nothing"

"Restitutus has deceived many girls."

"Satura was here on September 3rd"

"…If she can break my tender heart, why can't I hit her over the head?"

"Celadus the Thracier makes the girls moan!"

"Here Harpocras has had a good fuck with Drauca for a denarius."

"To the one defecating here. Beware of the curse. If you look down on this curse, may you have an angry Jupiter for an enemy."

"Gaius Sabinus says a fond hello to Statius. Traveller, you eat bread in Pompeii but you go to Nuceria to drink. At Nuceria, the drinking is better."

"The city block of the Arrii Pollii in the possession of Gnaeus Alleius Nigidius Maius is available to rent from July 1st. There are shops on the first floor, upper stories, high-class rooms and a house. A person interested in renting this property should contact Primus, the slave of Gnaeus Alleius Nigidius Maius."

"If anyone sits here, let him read this first of all: if anyone wants a screw, he should look for Attice; she costs 4 sestertii."

“Restituta, take off your tunic, please, and show us your hairy privates.”

"Chie, I hope your hemorrhoids rub together so much that they hurt worse than when they ever have before!"


From Rome:

[Adsos Letter]

9. Very cool, Alfredo! it was actually the reds, blues, and greens of the Pompeiian frescoes

such as the one you posted, that clicked when I saw this bunker interior. I explained about the location, and posted another shot, in my response to intheflow. :)

People do have a tendency to leave their mark. Funny how some of the content doesn't really vary, despite the intervening millennia.

[alfredo]

11. Graffiti is the people's art museum and editorial page.

Someday I'd love to go to Pompeii and take images for myself.

[regnaD kciN]

14. So NOW I find out what was there...!

I visited Pompeii on New Year's Eve 1965, when I was nine years old. During the tour, my mother and I had to wait outside that room, as only adult males were allowed in to see it. (I'm not making that up -- back then, even married women were barred from that room.)

[alfredo]

15. It was probably a brothel.

[intheflow]

5. Where is that?

Kind of reminds me of a subway station, but unless you're traveling with your camera this month, it's probably not that in California. Very nice lighting, and wonderful color! :thumbsup:

[Adsos Letter]

7. It is the interior of the room to the right in this photo

It is part of Battery Mendell, which is itself a part of the larger system of coastal defense built around the entrance to San Francisco Bay. Most of these fortifications were initially designed and built during the Spanish-American War as anti-ship artillery emplacements; with the development of airpower in warfare, anti-aircraft installations were added. All were taken out of service after WWII, with the exception of a couple of Nike, and Nike/Atlas anti-aircraft rocket installations which remained active until the early 1970's.

They have preserved and restored one of the Nike sights, and I am going to pay it a visit when I can get there on one of the days it is open.

All of this lies within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, which covers some pretty fantastic coastal terrain North and South of the Golden Gate. I've been going out there the last few days to do some hiking and photographerin'.

Gets DARNED COLD when the fog and wind come in out there, but today was not too bad.

I will actually be on the road with camera in hand in a few days; going Back East to Philly to stay with my eldest daughter for 3 weeks. :D

Always good to see you here; you know what I have to say about your recent FB photo spread: PHOTO GROUP! :hi:

[alfredo]

6. It looks European. Very nice picture.

[Adsos Letter]

10. Thanks Alfredo. It is actually an old bunker interior out on the Marin Headlands

at the entrance to San Francisco Bay. I've been enjoying myself out there the past few afternoons and evenings.

[alfredo]

12. How did you ever find anything worth photographing in San Francisco?

[Adsos Letter]

16. It's difficult, I will admit

but one must persevere, despite the area's limitations! :D