Fragments of personal objects, from makeup tools and a perfume bottle to coins and a child’s necklace, have been found tucked away in a wooden wardrobe sealed off for almost 2,000 years in the ruins of Pompeii.

The artifacts provide an intimate glimpse of daily life in the ancient Roman city before it was devastated by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD79. The wardrobe was discovered in a room of a home on Via dell’Abbondanza, which was one of the most bustling streets in Pompeii.

The items inside included tweezers, a small glass perfume bottle, an incense burner and a bronze lantern.

A charm from a crepundia, a type of necklace often worn by children. Photograph: via Pompeii Archaeological Park

But the most intriguing relic was a necklace featuring more than 20 small charms crafted from various materials and representing several deities, including depictions of the gods Bes and Mercury.

The type of necklace, known as a crepundia, was traditionally worn by children.…