A British tourist desecrated one of the world’s most famous UNESCO-protected sites because he wanted to leave a record of his family’s visit.
The thoughtless 37-year-old thought it would be a good idea to scratch his initials along with his two daughters’ initials and the date onto the House of the Vestal Virgins in the Pompeii World Heritage Site.
In total, the plonker made five engraving on the wall, which was buried in a flood of molten lava with Mt Vesuvius erupted in 79AD.
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The House of the Vestal Virgins once homed virgin priestesses, and while was damaged in World War II and by centuries of weather, the 2,000-year-old mosaics and frescoes that dress the house’s walls remain one of Pompeii’s big draw-cards.
(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Now alongside these ancient works of art, tourists can see the initials JW, LMW, MW and MLAW alongside the date 07//08/24 carved into the historic walls.
Staff clocked the man standing closed to the frescoed section near the entrance to the house and discovered his handiwork after he left, according to local news outlet Secolo d’Italia.
Furious Pompeii staff reported the man to the Public Prosecutor’s Office at the Court of Torre Annunziata, reported Corriere Della Sera.
(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
It’s understood that the bloke has apologised, and said that he had just wanted to record his family’s visit, reports MailOnline.
The Brit has now been accused of damaging cultural heritage, and it’s expected he will have to pay for any repair work.
The dad isn’t the only tourist to carve their name into an Italian historic site. Earlier this year a Dutch tourist got himself into trouble when he wrote his name on to an ancient wall in Herulaneum, near to Pompeii.
(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
The unnamed 27-year-old was arrested after staff discovered black permanent marker graffiti of a signature on a fresco in the ancient village of Herculaneum on June 3, 2024.
The young tourist allegedly did not think to change the graffiti from his own signature in any way. He has been charged with vandalism, and the defacement of artistic works, according to a statement from police.
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