Digital scans unveil new love notes and sketches on ancient Pompeii wall

A love note, a gladiatorial combat scene, a barrage of insults and everyday confessions have emerged on a wall in Pompeii, thanks to new imaging technology that has revealed nearly 80 previously unseen inscriptions.

The once-thriving city of Pompeii, near Naples, was buried in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79, preserving buildings, objects and graffiti under metres of ash.

Rediscovered in the 18th century, it is now one of the world’s most significant archaeological sites.