The town of Herculaneum (in italiano Ercolano), was yet seriously
damaged by the earthquake of 62 aJC., and was destroyed by the eruption
of the Vesuvius of 79, which covered it with a considerable mass of
mud, ashes and other eruptive matters pulled by water, penetrating in
each opening of the city, was solidified in a layer compacts and hard
from 15 to 20 meters.
These particular circumstances, which led to the burial of Herculanum,
of dimensioned returned the excavations and still make them very
difficult, and on the other side, they allowed the matter conservation
perishable, as wood, the papyruses and even the food.
Map of Herculaneum