CBS News
Construction site found at Pompeii reveals details of ancient building techniques – and politics
A construction site in Pompeii that was being worked on until the eruption of Vesuvius has been discovered, unlocking hidden details about the construction – and politics – in the ancient city. Archeologists excavating Pompeii, a city that was buried under lava in 79 AD, found a house that was under construction when the disaster happened, according to Italy’s Ministry of Culture.
Materials like work bricks and tools were piled up in the reception area of the house and lime and plaster used to make walls was found. Construction tools were discovered in several rooms, including tools to prepare mortar and pull up a vertical wall.
Parco Archeologico di Pompei/Handout via REUTERS
The home also included a bakery, which was discovered last year. Archeologists found words etched on stone that urged voters to elect a man named Aulus Rustius Verus, according to Pompeii Archaeological Park, which published the findings in its journal, Pompeii Scavi, in 2023.
This may have been a sign of “vote buying” – the candidate giving the business money in exchange for votes. They also found a painting in the building.
A nearby house, which is still being investigated, also shows evidence of construction including “enormous piles of stones” for the walls and ceramics and tiles collected to be transformed into cocciopesto, a type of concrete.
Parco Archeologico di Pompei/Handout via REUTERS
The construction site was active until Vesuvius, which is just south of Napels, erupted. The lava flow began around lunchtime and lasted until the following day. Over the past 250 years, more than 1,300 victims have been found. In November 2020, archaeologists found two bodies, believed to be an enslaved person and his possible owner.
According to the researchers, the discovery of the construction site shows workers used quicklime to create buildings. The construction material forms a putty with water and produces heat. It appears in this case, the quicklime was mixed with sand.
During construction, the mixture of the lime, sand and stones was still hot and therefore dried more quickly, which shortened construction time. This method is still used today, the researchers say.
Parco Archeologico di Pompei/Handout via REUTERS
“It is a further example of how the small city of Pompeii makes us understand many things about the great Roman Empire, not least the use of cement works,” said Gabriel Zuchtriegel, director of the park. Without this type of cement, other Italian historical sites like the Colosseum, Pantheon or Baths of Caracalla would not have been built, Zuchtriegel said.
Zuchtriegel said work was underway almost everywhere in Pompeii before the volcanic eruption, and this type of cement helped speed construction.
Parco Archeologico di Pompei/Handout via REUTERS
Tickets to the 2024 World Series between the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers are among the priciest in Major League Baseball history.
The historic matchup between the two storied teams from opposite coasts, who haven’t met in a World Series since 1981, is the driver behind high ticket prices, experts say.
“It is one of the most in-demand World Series we’ve ever seen. Two marquee teams, from two major cities, both with star power brings a ton of demand,” Chris Leyden, director of growth marketing for SeatGeek told CBS MoneyWatch. “It has everything you could ask for form demand perspective, and we are seeing that push up ticket prices.”
The first game of the series will take place in Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, at 8:08 ET. Fans will have to pay at least $700 just to get into the stadium, according to Leyden.
Average ticket prices for tonight’s matchup and other games set to take place in Los Angeles are around $1,700, according to SeatGeek. Ticket prices for games held in New York are slightly higher at around $2,300 each on average, partly because Yankee Stadium accommodates fewer fans than Dodger Stadium does.
“You can definitely get tickets for less, and certainly for more,” Leyden added. “Tickets are really hot in both markets.”
How hot are they? Leyden noted that average ticket prices for the 2024 World Series are comparable to those for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour concerts in the U.S.
When is the best time to buy tickets?
Leyden said he’s seen demand both increase and decrease for sports championships, with prices dipping for tonight’s game over the course of the day — given that the first pitch will be thrown out in just a few hours. But it can be hard to predict the direction in which ticket prices move.
“Sometimes prices come down for championship events, sometimes they go up,” he said.
On resale sites like SeatGeek, the market determines the price. Sellers who list tickets for too much money won’t have any buyers. Folks who don’t set prices high enough will see their tickets sell quickly, but leave money on the table.
StubHub spokesperson Adam Budelli said 2024 World Series ticket purchases on the resale platform have already outpaced sales for last year’s MLB championship series, and that this year’s tournament will be the best-selling World Series in history.
“Get-in” prices for the cheapest available tickets to Game 2 on Saturday night are holding steady at around $950 per ticket, Budelli said.
Pricing will be more dynamic as the series progresses, based on the outcome of each game and fan speculation.
The World Series Championship is determined by the best out of seven games, meaning the first team to win four games wins the title. In the event that one team sweeps the first four games, Games 5 through 7 won’t take place.
That said, Budelli noted that it’s better for fans to purchase tickets to later games now, given that prices are holding steady and that sellers refund buyers 100% of the ticket price if a game never happens.
“Tickets to those games will only go up in price from here,” he said.
Budelli offered another insight for buying tickets: Typically, the best time to buy seats is 24-48 hours before the game, after the market has settled. This is to avoid peak-demand windows when prices spike, he said.
“We sometimes see ticket prices go up closer to the games, because of the amount of people shopping who have been waiting,” he said.
Watch CBS News
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.
Watch CBS News
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.