Gastronomy in ancient Herculaneum on display at Villa Campolieto

From March 28, 2025 to Dec. 31, 2025, the Herculaneum Archaeological Park offers a new exhibition dedicated to food civilization inancient Rome. From Eggs to Apples. The Civilization of Food and the Pleasures of the Table is the title of an exhibition that immerses visitors in a journey through the food and eating habits of one of the most famous cities of antiquity, inheriting a cultural heritage that still speaks to us today through its artifacts.

The display, housed in the prestigious frescoed rooms of Villa Campolieto, features the archaeological wonders of Herculaneum and the 18th-century beauty of one of the most representative villas of the Golden Mile. Villa Campolieto, with its elegance and history, welcomes visitors to an environment that bridges the gap between ancient civilizations and the modern context.

“Food, not only as a physiological necessity but as a central element of cultural and social life, represents a constant link with the contemporary because many ancient traditions and customs persist even in Campania’s culture today,” says Park Director Francesco Sirano. "Tastes, recipes and etiquette at the table have changed in the more than two thousand years that separate us from 79 AD, but we have in common care for the quality of raw materials, in Roman times often imported even from Africa and India, for the preparation and presentation of dishes and, much more important, for hospitality and sharing the table, especially on the most important occasions.

The exhibition,“ adds the Director, ”represents for me the fulfillment of a path, -we started with luxury objects in the Park Antiquarium, moved on to the celebration of wood at the Palace of Portici, and arrive with food at Villa Campolieto. In a circle of enhancement of the peculiarities that make Herculaneum unique in the world, with the Park’s artifacts ambassadors of values in an area much larger than the narrow walls of the Archaeological Park. A path-concludes the Director-that has seen us in the company of local authorities, cultural institutions and many voluntary organizations of these splendid territories."

“We are proud to host this prestigious exhibition at Villa Campolieto,” says Gennaro Miranda, president of the Fondazione Ente Ville Vesuviane. “This event is the result of an extraordinary collaboration with the Herculaneum Archaeological Park and is a virtuous example of synergy between institutions that share the common goal of promoting the history and beauty of our territory. The culture of food, which once represented an act of sociality and well-being, is still a powerful economic and social engine for our territory. Local food and wine continues to shine with its authenticity and typical products that, as in the past, are not only an economic resource, but a symbol of identity pride for the entire community. The exhibition is not limited to being an exhibition event but is an extraordinary journey through time that allows us to explore the art of food in ancient Herculaneum and its value not only nutritional, but also social and cultural. The pleasures of the table, culinary traditions and conviviality were fundamental aspects of the daily life of the ancient Herculans, and today, in the heart of the Golden Mile, we can continue to celebrate and rediscover those same traditions, which are still an essential part of our daily life and tourist offerings. Villa Campolieto thus becomes a bridge between past and present, a place where historical memory dialogues with our time. I sincerely thank the Minister of Culture Alessandro Giuli and his predecessor Gennaro Sangiuliano, the Herculaneum Archaeological Park and Director Francesco Sirano for helping to make this project possible, which, I am sure, will leave an indelible mark on the cultural memory of all those who will have the privilege of visiting the exhibition.”

“The exhibition,” Matteo Lorito, rector of the University of Naples Federico II, “masterfully arranged at one of the most beautiful Vesuvian villas, enriches the extraordinary offer of the Herculaneum Archaeological Park. Our Department of Agriculture has long been engaged in a fruitful collaboration with the Institution, for which it has also welcomed the unique exhibition on Herculaneum woods to its premises in the Palace of Portici. Collaboration that today extends to the times of food and the study of organic or food-related artifacts. These provide us with a truly impressive amount of information and suggestions about our past including aspects of food and wine as well as agricultural production. Food tells about who we are, how we live and, in this case, how we were and the path that brought us to the present day. Congratulations to Director Sirano and Director Miranda for this extraordinary initiative.”

A tale between food and culture

The path of the exhibition is developed around a common thread that links food to Roman civilization, with a particular focus on the importance that food preparation and consumption held in the daily life of the ancient inhabitants of Herculaneum. As the poet Horace stated, the Roman meal began “ab ovo” (from the egg) and ended “ad mala” (at the apples), a concept that becomes the starting point for exploring the variety and quality of food consumed in what we can consider a true gastronomic civilization.

Through extraordinarily well-preserved artifacts such as bread, cereals, legumes, fruits, eggs, cheeses, and seafood, the exhibition offers a cue to reflect on food and the culture of luxury and refinement in ancient cuisine. Visitors are accompanied by a rich selection of kitchen utensils, pots and pans, objects that tell the story of the evolution of culinary art, but also of food consumption and disposal in antiquity.

A special section is devoted to the more than 300 skeletons found along the ancient beach of Herculaneum, which provide data on the health and eating habits of the population. Studies of human remains have made it possible to reconstruct an important part of the city’s social history and to better understand how food influenced the daily life and health of its people.

The beauty of a setting that respects history

The main floor of Villa Campolieto, with its grandeur and beauty, fits harmoniously into the exhibition project. The choice of a layout that develops as a room within a room responds to the need to create a respectful dialogue between the historical context of the villa and the exhibits on display. This stylistic choice allows to enhance both the magnificence of the villa and the richness of the Roman civilization, proposing a visit that stimulates the senses and invites reflection on the relationship between man, food and luxury. In addition, the exhibition is accompanied by contemporary images of Herculaneum, which help to evoke the current atmosphere of the city, thus linking the past to the present and giving a sense of the evolution of civilization and food culture over the centuries.

A project rooted in the past

The exhibition From Egg to Apples is part of a larger exhibition program that began in 2018, with the aim of enhancing and telling the story of Herculaneum through its artifacts. The exhibition cycle, titled Herculaneum 1738-2018 Talent Past and Present, included a series of exhibits dedicated to gold, wood, and food, and featured major displays in iconic locations in the area: the Archaeological Park’s Antiquarium hosted the exhibition SplendOri. Luxury in Ornaments at Herculaneum, while the Reggia di Portici was the venue for Materia. The wood that did not burn at Herculaneum. Now, with this new exhibition, the city of Herculaneum continues to offer a cue to explore its history from an archaeological point of view, but also through food, which represents one of its most fascinating elements.

Gastronomy in ancient Herculaneum on display at Villa Campolieto

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