"We noticed that some buildings in Pompeii have unusual features, such as walls showing different materials and techniques and walled, wrongly positioned windows. This strongly suggested that some of the houses that visitors admire today, were built on top of houses constructed previously," archaeologist Fabrizio Pesando of Naples's Oriental University, told Discovery News.

With his colleague Filippo Coarelli of Perugia University, Pesando investigated a series of houses in the Regio VI quarter in the northern area of the town, which carried several of those unusual architectural features.

"The result has been fascinating. We have found remains that reconstruct the entire history of the town, from traces of walls dating back to the sixth century BC to startling evidence of a third century settlement," Pesando said...