A small house full of exquisite frescoes has been discovered in the ancient city of Pompeii. Although the house is modest in size, researchers say its decorations, including erotic scenes, are equal to those of much larger neighboring residences.

Discovered during recent excavations in the city’s central district, the painted residence also illustrates a change in Roman building styles. The small space does not include an atrium, which was a common feature in wealthy Pompeian homes, according to a statement of the Pompeii Archaeological Park. Traditionally, large residences included rooms surrounding a central open-air space housing a basin to collect rainwater.

“The atrium was associated with wealthy Romans entertaining their clients and supporters and as a place to display family heirlooms,” according to the park director. Gabriel Zuchtriegel said the London Times“Tom Kington.

Eventually, Roman house design evolved and it became more acceptable to forgo the inclusion of an expensive atrium. Instead, elite families displayed their wealth in other ways.

“As Rome entered the second century AD, many freed slaves and merchants of modest origins rose to social status, while the old currency disappeared,” Zuchtriegel told the newspaper. Times. “More than an atrium, it was clothing and jewelry that began to gain importance. Not having an atrium was starting to be a choice, and we see this trend emerging in Pompeii. »

The newly discovered structure is called the House of Phaedra, named after a well-preserved painting depicting the mythological Hippolyta and Phaedra on its wall. In Euripides“Ancient Greek tragedy Hippolyte, Phaedrathe hero’s wife Theseusfalls in love with her stepson Hippolyte. In the fresco, Phèdre sits draped in a cloth, while Hippolyte stands before her.

Other frescoes show the sensual embrace of a Satyr (half-man, half-goat) and a nymph (a young goddess). Another mural probably depicts the goddess Venus with her boyfriend Adonisdepending on the park. A painted scene, although damaged, seems to illustrate Judgment of Paris.

Inside the house, researchers discovered a small altar containing several ritual objects, including a ceramic container for burning incense, which still contained materials from its last use two millennia ago. They also found a lamp, pieces of dried fig and an iron knife.

The cantiere dei Casti Amanti, a new example of a house without a richly decorated Atrio – Intervista

When Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 CE, volcanic ash buried Pompeii and other nearby Roman cities, leaving them frozen in time. Since the rediscovery of Pompeii in the late 16th century, archaeologists have excavated its preserved ruins. Today, about a third of the site remains not searched.

The house was found in Pompeii Casti Amanti Island site, a group of buildings open to the public this year. Last spring, researchers discovered graffiti for children depicting a gladiator fight in a neighboring house. Just a few months ago, they found a shrine painted bluealso located in the center of Pompeii. Other excavations carried out in recent years have uncovered a pregnant turtleA old construction site and a painting of a circular flatbread which looks like a pizza, among other finds.

As Zuchtriegel says in the release, excavating Pompeii while keeping it open to visitors is crucial to the park’s transparency and education goals. He adds that observing the work of archaeologists and restorers helps visitors understand the importance of documenting and saving the surviving traces of Pompeii’s ancient inhabitants.