Pompeii Exhibit This was a rare opportunity where Dawson students were able to  immerse themselves in Roman history. Students appreciated the visit and many were impressed by the different objects and artifacts displayed (jewelry; dice; bowl of olives; gladiator’s equipment, even a loaf of bread). It was interesting to listen and answer to their questions during the visit and to see that some students were even able to link the content of previous classes on the Hellenistic world to the frescoes that were exhibited. One team had to reflect on the ethical issues and debates surrounding the display of these casts. They presented a power point to the rest of the class and we all reflected on the best approaches to protect the dignity of these human remains. Two other teams did a presentation on the rapid deterioration of Pompeii due to mass tourism, looting and vandalism. The entire class reflected in an open discussion on the causes of this “second death” and also tried to devise potential solutions to ensure the preservation of this exceptional site.

April 22, 2016 – Italian Class Students

The Italian 4 class visited the Pompeii exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts. We had a very informed guide walk us through the galleries, making the experience interesting and enriching. Students saw Pompeii’s ruins, artifacts, common household items, frescoes, statues, jewelry, casts of people and animals, and a reenactment of that fatal day in 79AD when the Vesuvius erupted and buried under meters of ashes the Roman city of Pompeii.

The class assignment for this visit was a 300 word essay, in Italian, on the general experience and the presentation of a specific object from the Pompeii collection.