Pompeii children's sketches unveil violent gladiator scenes

Children in ancient times drew pictures of fights between gladiators and hunters battling animals. These drawings were found in Pompeii, a place where a volcano erupted in 79 AD. The drawings were discovered on the walls of a room in the "Island of chaste lovers" area of Pompeii. This shows that even kids long ago saw a lot of violence. Archaeologists found these drawings while working at the site. The pictures show gladiators fighting with spears and animals, and a boxing match where the fighters seem to be knocked out. There was also an older drawing of ships and fish, showing a more complex scene. The room where the drawings were found seemed to be getting painted over, maybe to hide the children's drawings. The drawings give us a peek into what kids back then imagined. They were likely going through the same growing stages as kids today. The drawings were near a home being renovated, and archaeologists also found a painting of a child wearing a hood, surrounded by fruits and a dog. More drawings of gladiators were found in Pompeii, believed to be made by children who watched battles at the amphitheater. These drawings were discovered in a cluster of homes that were opened to the public recently. The director of Pompeii's archaeological park thinks the kids who made these drawings saw the battles in person, not from pictures. Archaeologists also found remains of two victims of the volcano eruption in a house called the House of the Painters at Work. The Italian culture minister praised Pompeii for its ongoing discoveries, calling it a treasure trove. Recent findings in Pompeii include a banquet room with frescoes inspired by the Trojan war and a bakery where enslaved people might have been kept. Pompeii was found in the 16th century, and excavations started in 1748. It is now one of the most visited archaeological sites globally.