Pompeii guard dog mosaic back on show

Image source, EPA

Image caption, One of Pompeii's finest mosaics - a guard dog at the entrance to a villa

A vivid Roman dog mosaic is back on show after restoration at Pompeii, despite Italy's problems funding the historical site's conservation.

A glass shield now protects the House of the Tragic Poet, where tourists can see the dog with the inscription "Cave Canem" - Latin for "Beware of the dog".

Frescoes at the house's entrance were also restored. Ash from a volcanic eruption buried Pompeii in AD79.

A staffing dispute caused long queues at Pompeii on Friday, in searing heat.

Pompeii gives visitors an extraordinary insight into everyday life in ancient Rome because many buildings were protected from the elements under the thick blanket of ash from Mount Vesuvius.

Image source, EPA

Image caption, The restored mosaic now has better protection

The site, near the southern city of Naples, has suffered from funding problems for years. Staff unions at Pompeii have criticised a management reorganisation there.

The House of the Tragic Poet has some of Pompeii's finest examples of interior decoration, including scenes from Greek mythology.

But the house's owners remain unknown - they may have died in the eruption along with many other Pompeii citizens.