Under the fertile slopes of mount Vesuvius lie the ruins of the ancient Roman city of Pompeii.

Here every summer scores of students come to experience what life is like working in one of the world's most famous archaeological sites.

The city of Pompeii was buried in a volcanic eruption in A.D. 79, killing thousands of people.

However, a 20-foot-deep (approx. seven metres) cocoon of volcanic ash kept the city virtually intact, providing precious information on domestic life in the ancient world.

Pompeii
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The students are part of the "Pompeii Archaeological Research Project: Porta Stabia", a field school which allows students from Australian, Italian, American and British universities to participate in a five week archaeological excavation.

One of the scientists involved in the excavation is Dr. Steven J.R. Ellis, from the University of Cincinnati in the United States.

He says they are trying to understand how the vast majority of the city's ordinary residents lived.

In the past, a large part of the excavation has focused on how the city's wealthy elite lived.

Under the scorching Italian sun the students try to unearth evidence of life was really like all those years ago.

One of the students digging is Peter Diesel.

He says the work is like putting together a large puzzle that hopefully will reveal a big picture.

The students work side by side with archaeologists and researchers, learning some of the latest techniques employed in field.

Despite the on going work the site is still open to tourists, with an estimated 2.5 million people visiting every year.

Jane is an American student taking part in the dig. She says the work is exhausting.

Nonetheless, everyone's spirits are raised when a Giraffe's bone is unearthed.

Dr Emily Holt, an American environmental specialist, says the find shows just how cosmopolitan the city was.

She says the animal could have been used as a kind of entertainment. With the latest find in the bag, it's lunch time for the hungry students.

Sitting eating his lunch under a tree is Nick Taylor. He says working Pompeii is like a dream come true for any archaeologist.