Ancient Chariot Found Almost Perfectly Preserved in Pompeii Ruins

A well-preserved "Lamborghini" of ancient chariots was discovered buried in ruins outside of Pompeii.

Over the weekend, the Archaeological Park of Pompeii announced "an extraordinary find" of a ceremonial chariot, complete with its four wheels. The chariot was discovered "almost intact" with its iron components, bronze and tin decorations, wood remains and the imprints of its organic decorations, like ropes and flowers.

The park believes it was likely used in ceremonies, like festivals or parades about 2,000 years ago.

"I was astounded," Eric Poehler, an archaeologist at the University of Massachusetts Amherst told NPR of the findings. "This is a Lamborghini. This is an outright fancy, fancy car."

Not only is the chariot a luxurious one, but it was also found "in an excellent state of preservation" that the Archaeological Park says "has no parallel in Italy thus far."

Currently it is in the archaeological park's laboratory undergoing cleaning. Experts will work on restoration and reconstruction, CNN reported.

The chariot was discovered at a villa located north of Pompeii, called Civita Giuliana. It was discovered near stables where in 2018, the remains of three horses were found, including one that was still in its harness.

The discovery helps researchers build more information about the last moments in Pompeii, which was buried in volcanic ash when Mt. Vesuvius erupted almost 2,000 years ago.

The ruins of Pompeii were discovered in the 16th century. Organized excavations of the area only began in about 1750.

"Pompeii continues to amaze us with its discoveries and it will do so for many years, with 20 hectares still to be dug up," Italy's Culture Minister Dario Franceschini told Reuters.

Pompeii archaeologists also recently revealed colorful frescoes they had discovered in the back of a house and restored them to their original splendor.

Cailey Rizzo is a contributing writer for Travel + Leisure, currently based in Brooklyn. You can find her on Twitter, Instagram, or at caileyrizzo.com.