"Pompeii's Ancient Pizza: Unveiling the Proto-Pizza Fresco"

A 2,000-year-old fresco painting discovered at the Pompeii archaeological site in Italy reveals that the first pizza precursors were likely topped with fruit. The painting depicts a round, bready dish with a crust and toppings, arranged on a silver platter alongside a wine chalice and various fruits and flowers. However, experts believe that the dish is not a modern pizza due to the absence of tomatoes and mozzarella cheese, which were not available in Rome at the time. Instead, it is believed to represent focaccia bread covered in fruits and spices. The painting was found in a house connected to a bakery, and further exploration of Pompeii is expected to reveal more fascinating discoveries about ancient Roman life.