Ancient 'Fast Food' Shop Discovered In Italy's Pompeii To Open To Tourists This Week. Here’s A Peek

Visitors can now see the historic 'thermopolium', Latin for ‘hot-drink counter’, at Pompeii archaeological park. The ancient food shop is believed to have served hot food and drinks over 2,000 yrs ago

The historic 'thermopolium' found in Pompeii, Italy

New Delhi: Archaeological discoveries continue to amaze history enthusiasts and tourists across the world. One of the latest such discoveries is what historians are calling the oldest 'fast food' restaurant in the world. The fascinating discovery made in Italy's Pompeii will be opened for public viewing this week.

A volcanic eruption entombed the Roman city of Pompeii in time two millennia ago. Rich merchants and slaves, households and public squares, all were frozen for eternity under the ash from Mount Vesuvius.

Visitors can now see the historic 'thermopolium', the Latin for ‘hot-drink counter’, from August 12, according to a report in The Telegraph.

The ancient counter and surrounding area have been uncovered in the Pompeii archaeological park's Regio V site. The site seemed to have been popular among Roman customers for its culinary feasts. Some of the treats included pork, fish, snails, and beef, traces of which were found at the site, a report in the Business Insider said.

The shop was excavated in 2019 and unveiled late last year.

The findings comprised duck bone fragments and crushed fava beans, mostly used to modify the taste of wine, according to reports. The discovered counter is found to be decorated with brightly coloured frescos and deep circular jar holders. Of the 80 discoveries, the first one is said to be in a good condition even though so many centuries have passed.

Watch the ancient food counter discovered in the video  

"As well as bearing witness to daily life in Pompeii, the possibilities to analyze afforded by this thermopolium are exceptional because for the first time we have excavated a site in its entirety," Massimo Osanna, director general at the Archaeological Park of Pompeii, has been quoted as saying in The Guardian.

The Pompeii site, which is almost around 23km (14 miles) to the southeast of Naples, remains shut owing to the coronavirus pandemic, but the park is expected to reopen by Easter. 

After Mount Vesuvius erupted in AD79, Pompeii got buried under ash and pumice and the disaster killed between 2,000 and 15,000 people, according to recorded history. Ever since the ruins were first unearthed in the 16th century, archaeologists have managed to explore around two-thirds of the site.