Magnificent frescoes depicting, among other things, a stunning mythological scene have been discovered at Pompeii, the famous archaeological site near Naples in southern Italy, it was announced on Friday.
It was restoration and excavation work that allowed “the discovery of these frescoes of great value” in and around the House of Leda, one of the residences of the ancient city of Pompeii, destroyed by the eruption of Pompeii in 79 and buried in ash Vesuvius.
This content is blocked because you have not accepted cookies and other trackers.
If you click “I Accept”, cookies and other trackers will be placed and you will be able to view the content (more information).
By clicking “I Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storage of cookies and other tracers to store your data on our websites and applications for personalization and advertising purposes.
I agree that I accept all cookies
A fresco like a painting
The most striking is undoubtedly the mythological scene in which Phrixos and his twin Hellé flee from their stepmother Ino on the ram with the Golden Fleece. Phrixos, sitting on the rearing ram, has to watch helplessly as his unfortunate sister Hellé falls into the waters over which they fly on their horses. This “fresco that shows us two refugees at sea from ancient Greece,” says the director of Pompeii Gabrielzuchtriegel, has a frame that looks like a painting on a predominantly golden-yellow wall decorated with delicate decorations.
Other frescoes discovered include still lifes and portraits of women, particularly in medallions. Cleaning work is currently underway on the frescoes to remove and solidify volcanic ash before beginning the restoration phase. The current excavations at the Maison de Léda aim to reconstruct the complete plan and collect enough information to determine the main rooms of two other dwellings to the north and south of it.
3,000 deaths 2,000 years ago
The volcanic ash spewed from Vesuvius 2,000 years ago settled on most of Pompeii's houses, leaving them almost entirely intact, as well as many of the bodies of the 3,000 dead caused by the disaster. Pompeii is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is the second most visited tourist attraction in Italy after the Colosseum in Rome. The total area is about 22 hectares, a third of which is still buried in ash.