This extraordinary find is discovered in the archaeological park’s Regio V site, which is not yet open to the public.

Traces of nearly 2,000-year-old food were found in some of the deep terracotta jars containing hot food which the shop keeper transformed into a counter with circular holes.

The front of the counter was decorated with frescoes, some painted with animals that were ingredients in the food, such as chicken and ducks.

There was a multi-sided counter with deep vessels for hot food, similar to soup containers.

Archaeologists also found a decorated bronze drinking bowl known as patera, ceramic jars used for cooking stews and soups, wine flasks and amphora. They also traces of pork, fish, snails and beef had been found in the containers.

“This is an extraordinary find. It’s the first time we are excavating an entire termopolium,” said Massimo Ossana, director of the Pompeii archaeological park.

Pompeii was buried in a volcanic eruption in 79AD and is one of Italy’s most popular tourist attractions.

Nearly 80 fast food sites have been found at Pompeii but this is the first time an eatery has been entirely excavated, he added.

Around 13,000 people were living in Pompeii, 14 miles from Naples, when it was buried in ash, pumice and dust.

The ruins were discovered in the 16th century and excavations began around 1750. Around two-thirds of the town has been uncovered.

Pompeii, one of Italy’s most popular attractions and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a rare documentation of Greco-Roman life.

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The Jebel Hafit Desert Park in Al Ain will reopen for visitors on November 1, 2020, and will be open till April 2021, announced the Department of Culture and Tourism of Abu Dhabi. Al Ain, part of the emirate of Abu Dhabi, is the nation’s garden city as it is a lush oasis with palm trees and natural springs.

Abu Dhabi’s newest cultural and outdoor adventure attraction is located at the foot of Jebel Hafit mountain, and was officially launched in February 2020. It offers guests a mix of history, culture, and stunning natural landscapes.

The park’s cultural and natural features are part of the cultural sites of Al Ain, which constitute the UAE’s first designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. It has also been given National Park status and declared as Jebel Hafit National Park Reserve.

The park is operated by Barari Natural Resources, the environmental management organisation that conserves and manages forests and nature reserves across Abu Dhabi, including Sir Bani Yas Island and Telal Resort.

Among the key attractions at the park are the 5,000-year-old “beehive’ tombs”, archaeological remains in the UAE that vouch for the rich history and ancient habitation of the area. Outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy camping in the area, stretching for nine kilometres around the base of Jebel Hafit, one of the highest mountains in the UAE.

There are three shelters within the grounds which are perfect spots for a picnic; numerous shaded benches have been erected for the convenience of hikers and cyclists. Visitors can stay the night in their own tents at the public campsite or rent a traditional tent or luxury dome/bubble tent.

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Officials warned that the water level in the Brahmaputra river was expected to rise by 11 cm (4.3 inches), two weeks after it burst its banks swamping more than 2,500 villages.

Assam, famous for its tea plantations, is hit by flooding every rainy season despite flood-control efforts.

Rights groups accuse corrupt officials of siphoning off funds meant for flood projects, resulting in shoddy construction of embankments which are often breached.

Floods have also inundated the Kaziranga National Park, home to the world’s largest concentration of one-horned rhinoceros, with an estimated 2,500 out of a total population of some 3,000 of the animals, was on the brink of extinction at the turn of the century.

Kaziranga park is also a Unesco World Heritage site. But this year’s monsoon rains have almost 85% of the park under water.
“Nine rhinos have drowned and over 100 other animals have been killed,” Atul Bora, Assam’s agriculture minister said.

With the park waist-deep in water, rhinos, elephants and deer have been forced to seek refuge on roads and in human settlements.
Dozens of other animals, including deer, buffalo and porcupines, have also been died – many due to drowning, although others were hit by vehicles as they attempted to escape the floodwaters.

Across Assam, heavy rain has submerged thousands of villages. Hundreds of relief camps have been set up to shelter those displaced.

This year’s floods come as India struggles to halt the spread of coronavirus, with more than one million cases reported across the country, the world’s third-largest case load.

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