Pompeii Update (Special Edition)

Special Wednesday Edition:

A UNESCO official's criticism of the lack of a realistic and aggressive plan to fix the numerous problems at Pompeii, in addition to the most recent collapse of a wall (see Aug. 14 post), has paid off, it seems. Massimo Bray, minister of Italy's cultural and artistic heritage, has made a series of announcements that have reassured UNESCO that the authorities in charge of the most important ancient site are taking the proper steps to use the considerable monies being invested by the European Union. By December, half of the EU's injection—nearly 50 million Euros—will be allocated. UNESCO made a show of support an backed off its implicit threat that it might take Pompeii off its prestigious list of World Heritage Sites.

Most crucially for tourists, Bray has announced that ten more houses (domus) will be opened to the public in the coming weeks, a welcome development made possible by additional personnel on site. For years Pompeii has suffered from a lack of qualified personnel and guards. Now, one hopes, Pompeii will return to its former glory, when some 50 domus were open to visitors. I haven't had a chance to find out which houses are to be opened, but I did note that last month, the Casa degli Amorini Dorati has already reopened to the public. If anyone can help me discover which of the houses will be reopened, I'd appreciate it! A more detailed article can be found in Italian here.

Daily Tidbit: 

Archaeologists excavating at Monasterace in Reggio Calabria have uncovered the largest Hellenic mosaic in Magna Graecia. The previous link is in Italian (and has a good picture). An English summary can be found here.