Virginia L. Campbell, The Tombs of Pompeii: Organization, Space and Society, New York, 2015.

Abstract

Virginia L. Campbell in her book “The Tombs of Pompeii: Organization, Space and Society” offers a comprehensive overview of graves, tombs and development of the necropoleis in Pompeii through aspects of spatial and social organization. The book is organized in seven chapters, three appendices (catalogues of graves, tombs and funerary inscriptions), index, and illustrations which correspond well to the text. The book is a result of research undertaken by the author for her dissertation based on analysis of extensive documentation and series of very diverse scientific works dealing with Pompeii and their necropoleis but concentrating mostly on the most famous and most decorative finds and tombs without a systematic study of entire scope of the sepulchral area. In her study, the author attempted to solve some crucial questions, primarily if detailed analysis of each individual burial area can reveal social, economic, legal or cult traditions and regulations (possibly specific only for Pompeii);ways in which funerary monuments reflect behaviour of the individuals or groups, and administrative procedures necessary for organization of a funeral. The author answers these questions in the discussion parts of the book, from the third to the sixth chapter