Professor Andrew Wallace-Hadrill

It's not a work of archaeology, it's a work of engineers.

It's not a work of archaeology, it's a work of engineers.

It's not a work of archaeology, it's a work of engineers.

Even to 30 metres high at that point, above sea level. And it beetles above you. And it really makes it feel like something preserved in aspic. And it is like that. So it's hard work excavating Herculaneum. Pompeii's a pushover. You just shovel away these pomace pebbles, the lapilli. Literally, a shovel is your main excavating tool. You need a wheelbarrow to take the stuff away, and you're going.

Even to 30 metres high at that point, above sea level. And it beetles above you. And it really makes it feel like something preserved in aspic. And it is like that. So it's hard work excavating Herculaneum. Pompeii's a pushover. You just shovel away these pomace pebbles, the lapilli. Literally, a shovel is your main excavating tool. You need a wheelbarrow to take the stuff away, and you're going.

Even to 30 metres high at that point, above sea level. And it beetles above you. And it really makes it feel like something preserved in aspic. And it is like that. So it's hard work excavating Herculaneum. Pompeii's a pushover. You just shovel away these pomace pebbles, the lapilli. Literally, a shovel is your main excavating tool. You need a wheelbarrow to take the stuff away, and you're going.

The main excavations in Herculaneum in the modern period, done in the 1930s, were done with pneumatic drills. And you have to go through meters of solid stuff. It comes away rather nicely with a pneumatic drill. And it's a risk you can take because you know when you hit the archaeology and then you slow down a bit. But it's very easy to make mistakes. So yeah, this is a tough call.

The main excavations in Herculaneum in the modern period, done in the 1930s, were done with pneumatic drills. And you have to go through meters of solid stuff. It comes away rather nicely with a pneumatic drill. And it's a risk you can take because you know when you hit the archaeology and then you slow down a bit. But it's very easy to make mistakes. So yeah, this is a tough call.

The main excavations in Herculaneum in the modern period, done in the 1930s, were done with pneumatic drills. And you have to go through meters of solid stuff. It comes away rather nicely with a pneumatic drill. And it's a risk you can take because you know when you hit the archaeology and then you slow down a bit. But it's very easy to make mistakes. So yeah, this is a tough call.

So Pompeii, Pompeii's a pushover. Money for jam, and the stuff comes out and comes out. And effectively, Herculaneum is forgotten for a period between, let us say, 1780 or so, when Pompeii has become really the big name, to 1913.

So Pompeii, Pompeii's a pushover. Money for jam, and the stuff comes out and comes out. And effectively, Herculaneum is forgotten for a period between, let us say, 1780 or so, when Pompeii has become really the big name, to 1913.

So Pompeii, Pompeii's a pushover. Money for jam, and the stuff comes out and comes out. And effectively, Herculaneum is forgotten for a period between, let us say, 1780 or so, when Pompeii has become really the big name, to 1913.

But there's an earlier period, because for me, as a professor in Cambridge, it's really important that it was a professor from Cambridge who told the world Herculaneum is the place to work. A chap called Charles Wolstein. And he was an expert on Greek sculpture. That's up your street. And he knew that a load of Greek sculpture came from Herculaneum. And he was fascinated by it.

But there's an earlier period, because for me, as a professor in Cambridge, it's really important that it was a professor from Cambridge who told the world Herculaneum is the place to work. A chap called Charles Wolstein. And he was an expert on Greek sculpture. That's up your street. And he knew that a load of Greek sculpture came from Herculaneum. And he was fascinated by it.

But there's an earlier period, because for me, as a professor in Cambridge, it's really important that it was a professor from Cambridge who told the world Herculaneum is the place to work. A chap called Charles Wolstein. And he was an expert on Greek sculpture. That's up your street. And he knew that a load of Greek sculpture came from Herculaneum. And he was fascinated by it.

And he led a campaign to excavate Herculaneum. And the first modern book about Herculaneum is his book, Pompeii, Past, Present and Future, I think. It's including an elaborate plan, technical plan, of how to excavate using modern techniques to get through this rock and so on.

And he led a campaign to excavate Herculaneum. And the first modern book about Herculaneum is his book, Pompeii, Past, Present and Future, I think. It's including an elaborate plan, technical plan, of how to excavate using modern techniques to get through this rock and so on.

And he led a campaign to excavate Herculaneum. And the first modern book about Herculaneum is his book, Pompeii, Past, Present and Future, I think. It's including an elaborate plan, technical plan, of how to excavate using modern techniques to get through this rock and so on.

And in 1908, he was on the brink of persuading the Italian government to allow an international project financed not just by Italy, but all sorts of nations, America. He was an American, though he was a professor in Cambridge. And he was putting together the funding in a really imaginative way. And the Italian government got cold feet.

And in 1908, he was on the brink of persuading the Italian government to allow an international project financed not just by Italy, but all sorts of nations, America. He was an American, though he was a professor in Cambridge. And he was putting together the funding in a really imaginative way. And the Italian government got cold feet.