A Dig

The excavation of Ercolano was carried out under archaeologist, Amedeo Maiuri, with Benito Mussolini championing the project. Not only could Mussolini use the uncovered artifacts as a tangible realization of the powers of ancient Roman ancestors, but the process itself would be a demonstration of the effectiveness and industriousness of fascism itself. Never before had a fractured Italy been able to put a plan to paper or find funding for such a delicate task, but as nostalgia for the greatness of a lost empire became a driving emotional force for fascism, uncovering these ancient remains became of utmost importance. To the academics of the world, the excavation of Ercolano would appear as a marvelous scientific undertaking, cataloging and understanding human history, creating a narrative of not just Italian greatness, but of what can be accomplished under a specific set of political rules. Likewise, to the general public, the site was a hallmark of manpower, of the sheer amount of physical labor that fascism could surmount.