Ex-student Lydie Leurquin returns

When History comes to life.

A former pupil has retraced the steps that led from the halls of Logan Park High School to the streets of ancient Pompeii.

Lydie Leurquin credits teacher Paul Enright for igniting her passion for history.

Classics lessons with Mr Enright, in particular on Alexander the Great, were a key inspiration.

At the University of Otago she studied Latin, ancient Greek, classical studies, anthropology and archaeology.

"I loved learning an ancient language that no-one could speak; there is something quite magical about that."

At the end of May, Miss Leurquin will spend five weeks with an excavation team in Pompeii.

"I don’t really know what to expect from it. I know it is going to be big learning for me."

The excavation is run through Tulane University in the United States, in collaboration with the city of Pompeii as well as England’s University of Oxford.

The city of Pompeii was covered and preserved in ash after the eruption of Mt Vesuvius in 79AD.

"We have only uncovered a small portion of the city.

"It was a very important city back in Roman times."

Miss Leurquin said she was able to visit Pompeii last year.

One feature of the archaeological site was its location in the middle of modern-day Pompeii.

"Modern-day Pompeii is kind of built around this ancient world.

"You are in a pizza shop one minute and then you are just in this ancient site the next."