rain, and humidity since then had caused them to deteriorate to VXFK D GHJUHH WKDW WKH\ ZHUH DW ULVN RI EHLQJ ORVW 6RPH LQDGHTXDWH restoration practices undertaken in the past did more harm WKDQ JRRG 1RZ DV SDUW RI D SURMHFW UHFHQWO\ FRPSOHWHG E\ WKH $UFKDHRORJLFDO 3DUN RI 3RPSHLL WKH IUHVFRHV KDYH EHHQ UHWXUQHG to their ancient splendor and protected for the future. Techniĥ FLDQV XVHG ODVHUV WR UHPRYH EXLOWĥXS OD\HUV RI KDUPIXO GHSRVLWV FRQVHUYDWRUV UHDWWDFKHG IUDJLOH SDLQWHG SODVWHU WKDW ZDV SHHOLQJ Rɱ LQ VRPH VHFWLRQV DQG UHVWRUHUV UHWRXFKHG SDLQW ZKHUH LW ZDV archaeology.org needed. Gradually, details that had been obscured or had faded began to reemerge: rows of green shrubs, the leopard's spots, D ERDU¶V WXVNV WKH OLRQ¶V FODZV 7KH SDLQWLQJV¶ YLYLG UHGV EOXHV greens, and yellows shine anew. And, once again, shelter seekers ZKR KDSSHQ WR ZDQGHU LQWR WKH +RXVH RI WKH &HLL DQG ¿QG WKHLU ZD\ LQWR WKH VPDOO JDUGHQ DW WKH EDFN FDQ EULHÀ\ HVFDSH WKH KHDW and the crowds that still throng Pompeii's streets. Q Jason Urbanus is a contributing editor at Archaeology. 47http://www.archaeology.org