Sketches in History | Buried in Time
As promised, the 15-Minute History Podcast team is bringing you a new segment, just for kids, called Sketches in History, where history isn’t just a story—it’s an adventure.
Be sure to look for the discussion questions at the end of this post.
Hello, and welcome back to Sketches in History! I’m Lottie Archer, your guide. The last time we were together, I showed you my magical notebook full of sketches from history. Every time we open to one of the pages, we get taken to that moment and experience the history first-hand! During our previous adventure, we witnessed a daring river crossing with George Washington. We experienced the cold and witnessed bravery in the face of adversity. I can’t wait to see where we go today!
But first, let’s learn our word of the day: preservation.
Have you ever saved a picture or a souvenir from a special day? That’s a form of preservation. When something is preserved, it means it has been kept in its original condition, even after a long time. Historians love preserved things because they give us clues about how people lived in the past. Do remember the last time when we together we discussed primary sources? Well, a preserved item from history can sometimes act like a primary source, and today, we may see an example preservation in history.
Let’s open our notebook and see where we’re going for the next adventure.
We’ve landed on a sketch of a bustling marketplace with vendors selling fruits, vegetables, and fish. The sun looks bright, the streets look full, and the I bet the air is very warm.
Are you ready? Close your eyes, hold on tight, and let’s go!
We made it! We’ve landed in an alley between two buildings. The streets are made of stone, and the city is surrounded by impressive buildings with marble columns. Beyond the alley is a bustling street market. Merchants are calling out to shoppers as children play with wooden toys and run between the crowds. The smell of fresh bread and roasting meat wafts through the air, and I can hear the clinking of coins as customers buy goods. The air feels warm, the sky is a clear blue, and people are going about their day having conversations, buying goods, and seemingly very busy.
Judging by the language, buildings, streets, and way of life, I think we are at some point in ancient history. Their language is different than ours. It’s a language called Latin. If that’s true, then this is because the Roman Empire has already conquered this part of the world. The roads are well built, it looks like there’s a form of pluming, and all the buildings have a similar look. These things and more are a tell-tale sign that this is a Roman town.
The warmth of the weather tells me we somewhere in the Mediterranean. Do you know where the Mediterranean is? It is a massive body of water in the middle of three continents, Europe, Africa, and Asia. For example, have you ever heard of Greece, Italy, or Egypt? If you have, then you should know that each of these countries connects to the Mediterranean Sea.
Let’s do our best to stay out of sight as we walk around the corner to a quieter part of the street. Also, something feels strange. As we walk, I can’t help but think of why the sketchbook sent us here. It shows us important moments in history, and while the marketplace is really exciting, I don’t know why it would send us…
Wait…
Do you see what I see? There’s a mountain in the background with smoke is rising from it. The smoke is thick and rising high into the sky. Based on the language, culture, and location of this town, that means…
That’s Mount Vesuvius, and we’re in the ancient Roman city of Pompeii!
The ground is trembling slightly under our feet. Let’s follow a group of people heading toward the city center and see what they do.
A man is shouting in Latin. He’s pointing to Mount Vesuvius, and his face is full of fear. Can you fell that? The ground is shaking!
The sky, which was bright and sunny just moments ago, is darkening with smoke as Vesuvius’s eruption increases in intensity. Ash is beginning to fall like snow. People are running, dropping their baskets of food, and calling for their families.
We need to find shelter quickly. Follow me!
We’ve taken cover in a small house with a tiled roof. Through the window, we can see ash covering the streets like a thick blanket. The air stinks and smells of sulfur. The noise outside is deafening—like thunder that won’t stop. The owner of the house, a woman wearing a long tunic, is gathering her children and shouting, “We must leave now!” She grabs a clay pot and some bread before rushing out the door, heading in the direction of the sea.
Let’s peek outside. The once-busy marketplace is now almost empty, with only a few people struggling to carry their belongings as they flee. In the distance, I can see people from the city running to the shoreline of the Mediterranean, piling into boats to escape the falling ash. Lava is now flowing down the mountain, destroying everything in its path. The heat is intense, and the air is filled with dust and ash, making it hard for us to breathe.
It’s time to open the notebook and return to our study before things get too dangerous.
Phew! We’re back in the study, safe and sound. That was an intense adventure! Let’s see what the notebook has written about today’s scene.
We have just visited the the city of Pompeii. This was a thriving Roman settlement near the base of Mount Vesuvius. On August 24, 79 AD, the volcano erupted violently, covering the city in ash, pumice, and lava.
The eruption buried Pompeii so quickly that many people were trapped in their homes and streets. For centuries, the city remained hidden beneath layers of ash, preserving everything exactly as it was on the day of the disaster.
When archaeologists began excavating the site in the 18th century, they found preserved buildings, artwork, and even the remains of food. Thanks to this preservation, historians have learned a great deal about daily life in ancient Rome—from the types of food people ate to the games children played.
Remember our word of the day? That’s right, preservation. The eruption of Mt. Vesuvius destroyed the city of Pompeii, and while it’s believed that most of the people were able to escape, some did not, making it a terrible event in history. But because of the way the city was preserved, archeologists and historians have learned more about the ancient world than they ever thought possible. Through this preservation, we can learn about the people of Pompeii, their stories, and their history. Preservation can happen in many ways, from natural events like this, to careful efforts by archaeologists and historians.
What an adventure! We faced danger together, experienced an ancient culture, and saw how nature can be both powerful and preserving. We also learned why Pompeii remains one of the most important archaeological sites in the world – a city frozen in time. I can’t wait to turn another page with you and discover what’s next in our extraordinary notebook.
Thank you for joining me in Sketches in History. Don’t forget to subscribe to the 15-Minute History Podcast so you’ll never miss the next adventure. And if you have a favorite moment in history you’d like to see in the notebook, send me your ideas at 15minutehistory@gmail.com. Until next time, keep wondering, keep imagining, and remember—the past is just a page away."
Discussion Questions:
Why do you think Pompeii is such an important archaeological discovery?
How did the volcanic ash help preserve the city, and what can we learn from it?
Imagine you lived in Pompeii during the eruption. What would you try to save before leaving?
How does preservation help us understand the past better? Can you think of any modern examples of preservation.
