This volume investigates the material culture of Pompeii through a detailed cataloging of artifacts housed within the National Archaeological Museum in Naples. The authors, Amanda Claridge and John Ward-Perkins, utilize their expertise in Roman archaeology to provide a systematic examination of objects recovered from the site. By focusing on the physical remains, the text establishes a framework for understanding the daily life, artistic production, and domestic environment of the city prior to the eruption of Mount Vesuvius.

Experts recognize this work as a foundational reference for scholars and students of Roman material culture. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose and the precision of the cataloging, which serves as a vital resource for those studying the specific collection at the National Archaeological Museum in Naples.