Archaeologist excavating human remains in an ancient food stand, known as a thermopolium, in Pompeii, Italy. Hot food and drinks could be bought at thermopolia, especially by working-class citizens, who for the most part did not have kitchens. The remains of ducks, fish, goats, pigs and snails have been found in the containers (dolia) here, suggesting that meals sold would have contained these meats. Additionally, a jar was found containing wine and beans used for turning wine white. Pompeii was a Roman town with a population of around 20,000 that was destroyed when the volcano Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 CE. The eruption buried the town under a thick layer of ash, and it remained undiscovered until 1599. It was not until 1749 that attempts were made to excavate the town. The layers of ash have preserved the site, allowing archaeologists to glean much about life in the Roman Empire.