A 20-year-old female tourist has been detained by Italian police after being caught cutting tiles out of a floor mosaic in an ancient house in the World Heritage Site of Pompeii.
The House of Anchor is an archaeological site in the ancient Roman city and the tiles were behind a guard rail. The tourist climbed over the rail and used a tool to lift the tiles.
The tourist was visiting the site with her father and sister and was cited for ‘aggravated damage’ said Italian police, according to Sky News.
The site manager has estimated that more than R47 000 of damage was inflicted on the site.
The house is named after the anchor mosaic at the entrance to the house, which symbolises the peace and safety the home gave to those who lived in it. Image: Wikimedia Commons.
This is not the first time a tourist has tried to steal relics from the ancient city. Last year, a French tourist tried to leave the site with a backpack full of ancient artifacts. Sky News reported that the tourist was fined and given a suspended prison sentence.
According to the Telegraph, the site has received hundreds of packages filled with stolen artifacts and letters of apology.
Pompeii was a coastal city at the base of the volcano Mount Vesuvias, just over 20km from modern Naples. The volcano erupted almost 2,000 years ago and sent debris rushing down to the city, which was home to 20,000 people at the time.
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This sudden event preserved the city under seven metres of ash and rock. It was protected for 17 centuries until excavation of the site began in 16th century. More than three million tourists visit the site each year to get a glimpse into the ancient world.
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Feature image: Graham Hobster.
