By Liu Han Sheng (Boreas), Pompeii '14

This must be how they played Tic Tac Toe in Herculaneum when the city was flourishing, before the devastation of Vesuvius :).

The ruins in Herculaneum enthralled me in a way that was different than the other sites we've visited. The other sites mainly display the myths of gods and goddesses and major historical events that gave me an understanding of the larger society of Rome. The vivid details of household items enabled me to visualize the daily life, one dating back to hundreds of years BCE. Their history comprises not only the renowned and the grandiose but also the quotidian, which is actually more substantial and representative as one walks throughout this buried city. From the frescos, vases, and shrines to every single piece of the mosaics, all screamed to me with an attempt to absorb me in. It dazzled me into a vicarious illusion as if ancient citizens were walking beside me. I think that I may have left my soul there, in this captivating and beautiful place that was lost within the world.