Archaeologists in Pompeii, the city buried in a volcanic eruption in 79 AD, have made the extraordinary find of a frescoed hot food and drinks shop that served up the ancient equivalent of street food to Roman passersby.

Known as a termopolium, Latin for hot drinks counter, the shop was discovered in the archaeological park's Regio V site, which is not yet open to the public, and unveiled on Saturday.

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Traces of nearly 2,000-year-old food were found in some of the deep terra cotta jars containing hot food the shop keeper lowered into a counter with circular holes.

The front of the counter was decorated with brightly colored frescoes, some depicting animals that were part of the ingredients in the food sold, such as a chicken and two ducks hanging upside down.

"This is an extraordinary find. It's the first time we are excavating an entire termopolium," said Massimo Ossana, director of the Pompeii archaeological park.

Video: Reuters

Archaeologists also found a decorated bronze drinking bowl known as a patera, ceramic jars used for cooking stews and soups, wine flasks, and amphora.

Pompeii, 23 km (14 miles) southeast of Naples, was home to about 13,000 people when it was buried under ash, pumice pebbles, and dust as it endured the force of an eruption equivalent to many atomic bombs.

"Our preliminary analyses show that the figures drawn on the front of the counter, represent, at least in part, the food and drink that were sold there," said Valeria Amoretti, a site anthropologist.

Amoretti said traces of pork, fish, snails, and beef had been found in the containers, a discovery she called a "testimony to the great variety of animal products used to prepare dishes."

About two-thirds of the 66-hectare (165-acre) ancient town has been uncovered. The ruins were not discovered until the 16^th century and organized excavations began about 1750.

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The 3-by-4.5-foot fresco is located in the Regio V site, in the northern section of Pompeii's archaeological park, in an area not currently accessible to visitors.

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It was found on a wall beneath the stairwell of what was probably a tavern, or wine shop.

"Very probably the fresco decorated a place used by gladiators, perhaps a watering hole, also frequented by prostitutes," said Massimo Osanna, director general of the archeological park.

"Of particular interest in this fresco is the extremely realistic representation of the wounds," said Osanna, adding that the outcome of the fight is unknown. The losing gladiator is holding up his finger to "implore for mercy," he noted.

The gladiators' fresco is the latest finding in the Pompeii park, which has yielded dozens of impressive discoveries in the last two years. But the site in recent years has also received bad publicity due to decay and poor maintenance.

Italy's Culture Minister, Dario Franceschini, hailed the discovery on Friday, noting that "a few years ago Pompeii was known around the world for its negative image ... Today's story is one of redemption."

Pompeii was a flourishing city destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE. Last October, the finding of a charcoal inscription suggested that the eruption happened in October 79 CE rather than August of the same year, as was previously believed.

Franceschini stressed that the fresco finding "really shows that Pompeii is an inexhaustible source of research and knowledge for the archeologists of today and for the future."

As part of a multi-million dollar European Union project, Pompeii is currently undergoing its most extensive excavations since the 1950s, with archeologists removing tons of debris from long-buried areas of the city.

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