Erotic frescoes unearthed in Pompeii

Archaeologists have uncovered a small house in Pompeii filled with detailed and sometimes erotic frescoes, further revealing the way Romans decorated their homes.

Located in the central area of ​​the ancient city, the house was smaller than usual and unusually lacked the open central courtyard (known as an atrium) typical of Roman architecture, said the Pompeii Archaeological Park, which oversees the site. statement made on Thursday.

This change may have occurred in the 1st century AD due to changing trends in Roman and especially Pompeian society, archaeologists said.

Pompeii was destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, with its buildings and thousands of residents buried under layers of ash and pumice. This covering perfectly preserved the city for millennia, making it one of the most important archaeological sites in the world as it offers an unprecedented insight into Roman daily life.

This latest discovery sheds light on the ornate decorations that wealthy Romans loved to use in their homes; some frescoes depict legendary scenes, others are decorated with floral and animal motifs on a white background.

A small square painting placed on a blue-painted wall depicts the relationship between a satyr and a fairy, while another shows Hippolytus, son of the legendary Greek king Theseus, and his stepmother Phaedra, who fell in love with him and killed herself when he rejected her. with disgust.

One fresco probably depicts the Apocalypse of Paris, although it was damaged in previous excavations, and another shows Venus, the goddess of love, and her mortal lover Adonis.

Erotic and detailed frescoes like these have been unearthed before in Pompeii. A house covered in erotic frescoes reopened to the public in January 2023 after being closed for 20 years, while another fresco depicts an erotic scene from Greek myth.Leda and the SwanIt was discovered in 2018.

Elsewhere in this newly excavated house, the last ritual offering left before the explosion still remains in the house temple known as the lararium.

“We have archaeologists, restorers and archaeobotanical experts here to understand exactly how the last sacrifice before the explosion was carried out,” park director Gabriel Zuchtriegel said in a statement. “There are still burnt remains of this ritual, including the knife used.”

Zuchtriegel added that this excavation “took place in full view of the public,” who could access the site via suspended walkways and watch the archaeologists at work.