Yet another episode of defacement occurred at the Herculaneum archaeological park: a tourist created an inscription on an ancient wall
Another episode of disfigurement it took place at one of the most important Italian archaeological sites: the Herculaneum archaeological park. A tourist of Dutch origin left a writing made with a black marker in a wall of one of the historic buildings on the site.
Dutch tourist damages the wall of a domus in Herculaneum
The archaeological park of Herculaneum it is one of the most famous Italian sites in the world because visiting it means taking a real journey back in time almost two thousand years. Herculaneum as well as Pompeii not only preserve evidence of an ancient history but continue to always give us new discoveries and finds of great importance. This is why the news that a tourist has scarred a historic building in the park provoked strong condemnation from Minister Sangiuliano and others.
Specifically, a Dutch man 27-year-old on holiday in Campania apparently left a writing, apparently his signature, on one of the frescoed walls of a Roman domus. The signature was placed with a permanent black marker. The Carabinieri intervened and the tourist was immediately identified and reported for “destruction, deterioration, disfigurement, soiling and illicit use of cultural or landscape assets”.
Unfortunately this is only the latest disrespectful episode happened towards Italian monuments or archaeological sites. At the archaeological park of Pompeii and Herculaneum, for example, it had already happened in 2022 that a man had managed to enter with the scooter within the site, while in 2020 a woman climbed onto the roof of a domus to take a selfie. Many other events have been recorded recently in Rome, where an English tourist made a writing in the Colosseum, but also in Florence and Milan.
The words of condemnation from the Minister of Culture Gennaro Sangiuliano
The Minister of Culture Gennaro Sangiuliano spoke out about the incident, expressing his disappointment. The Minister commented that unfortunately the episode of disfigurement which occurred in Herculaneum is only the latest act of incivility committed by visitors to damage to Italian goods. His words on the matter were taken up by ‘La Repubblica’: “Once again our cultural heritage is the victim of incivility and idiocy. Just a few weeks ago, the façade 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, to our beauty and to our identity and this is why it must be sanctioned with the utmost firmness.”
The Minister kept us at thank the police forces who quickly stopped the man. Furthermore, Sangiuliano recalled that thanks to the law he proposed and approved at the beginning of 2024 regarding the “Crimes against cultural property” those who commit these acts of vandalism are now required to pay for the restoration. Here are the words of the Minister again reported by ‘La Repubblica’: “I thank the Carabinieri for immediately identifying and reporting the author 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”.
