A signature with black marker on the wall of a domus escaped the eruption of Vesuvius, but, evidently, not incivility. It is the mark left, with an indelible marker, on the ancient stuccoes of the house, by a Dutch tourist visiting the Herculaneum archaeological park, vandalism and offense against the cultural heritage of the town. Other visitors, noticing the disfigurement, alerted the Park security staff. Then the police intervened, immediately identified and reported the young tourist for damaging and defacing artistic works.
«Once again our cultural assets are victims of incivility and idiocy», commented the Minister of Culture, Gennaro Sangiuliano, adding: «SJust a few weeks ago, the facade of the Royal Palace of the Royal Palace of Caserta had been smeared with paint. Yesterday it was the turn of a Roman domus in the Herculaneum archaeological park, defaced by a tourist with a permanent marker. Every damage is a wound to our heritage, our beauty and our identity and this is why it must be sanctioned with the utmost firmness. I thank the police for immediately identifying and reporting the perpetrator of this vile gesture. I also remember that thanks to the law that I strongly supported, this person will also have to pay for the restoration work of the work out of his own pocket”, he concluded.
