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Kerry Breen is a news editor at CBSNews.com. A graduate of New York University's Arthur L. Carter School of Journalism, she previously worked at NBC News' TODAY Digital. She covers current events, breaking news and issues including substance use.

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October 29, 2026 / 12:59 PM EDT / CBS News

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Ancient items found in a sealed closet in Pompeii hint at what life was like in the historic Roman city before it was destroyed in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in A.D. 79.

The closet was located in a home in the central area of the city, the Pompeii Archaeological Park said in a news release . The house had previously been excavated in 1912, but an investigation of the surrounding areas is just now underway.

Inside, archaeologists found cosmetics, an incense burner, a bronze lantern and a balsam jar. Weights, likely used for commercial activity, were also found inside a wooden chest of drawers.…