Located in the Regio IX district, the painting was discovered in the hallway of a house situated near a bakery — an interesting location nonetheless. The area was partially excavated in the 19th century, but more extensive work carried out recently revealed the wall painting. The artwork depicts a flatbread topped with a sauce, possibly enjoyed with an assortment of fruits or spices.

Did this ancient pizza include tomatoes and cheese? Sadly no! Tomatoes didn’t arrive in Europe until around 1,500 years after Pompeii met its fiery fate. As for the beloved mozzarella cheese, it hadn’t even been invented during that time. So, this ancient pizza was far from the cheesy, tomato-packed delight we’re accustomed to.

We can’t overlook the cultural significance of pizza in Italy. It’s estimated that one-third of the food budget of tourists visiting Italy goes straight into indulging in this culinary icon. The connection between this ancient painting and pizza, even with its differences, reminds us of pizza’s humble beginnings in southern Italy. Starting as a simple and inexpensive meal, pizza has conquered the world and can now be found even in fancy restaurants.

Although this ancient painting isn’t an exact replica of our beloved pizzas today, it gives us a remarkable glimpse into the past. It shows us that people from centuries ago weren’t all that different from us when it came to food. The painting represents a simple and satisfying meal, along with the touch of luxury that silver trays bring.

Crying is often been portrayed to be a sign of weakness, especially in public or at work. Shedding tears of joy is emotionally encouraged, but if you are going through a bout of unhappiness, we often try to hold back our tears, believing that it’s particularly something to be ashamed of. But what if, crying actually comes with some super health benefits? Are you startled at that information? Both rumor and research indicate the same. Read on to understand how crying can actually be a good thing. So, get rid of your shyness and cry your heart out whenever you feel like it.

Expert Opinion

Having a good cry actually comes with some pretty interesting health benefits. Some psychologists even suggest that holding back tears is nothing but just doing a disservice to ourselves. According to a clinical psychologist at UCLA and director of the Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Ethics Dr. Stephen Sideroff, crying activates our body in a healthy way, as if you’re your guard down. And contrary to common belief, that’s actually a positive thing. The same thing happens when we get emotional and start crying while watching a movie. It initiates the very required process of opening into ourselves. He explains that it just works like a lock and key.

Research Proof

Researches also back up the experts’ theories. Studies on different kinds of tears have shown that emotional tears contain higher levels of stress hormones than other kinds, like basal or lubricating tears or reflex tears, which forms when something gets in your eye. Mood-regulating manganese has also been found in a higher amount of emotional tears. In a nutshell, the more you shed tears, the more you release stress, which finally prevents stress-caused effects like muscle-tightening or heightened BP. According to Dr. Sideroff, crying activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which restores the body to a balanced state. So, embrace your crying from now on.