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Pompeii's stunning secret is uncovered after 2,000 years: Archaeologists are amazed to discover a 'high quality' fresco depicting Helen of Troy during excavations at the ancient Roman city
Daily Mail UK ^ | April 11th 2024 | unattributed

Posted on 04/12/2024 8:38:22 AM PDT by SunkenCiv

Nearly 2,000 years since it was buried by volcanic rubble, the lost city of Pompeii is yielding even more astonishing discoveries.

Archeologists have uncovered remarkably preserved 'fresco' paintings on a wall at a former private residence along Via di Nola, one of Pompeii's longest streets.

One of the stunning artworks depicts Helen of Troy, a beautiful woman in Greek mythology, meeting Paris, prince of Troy, for the first time...

The frescos have been discovered in the 'black room', an 'imposing' banquet hall with elegant black walls at a former private residence along Via di Nola.

It's being called the black room because it was painted black, likely to mask soot from oil lamps that would have burnt...

Dr Sophie Hay, a British archaeologist who works at the Archaeological Park of Pompeii, said the 'high quality' frescos used the black walls as the background for the scene.

'The dining room seems to be vaguely unique in the sense that normally there are figurative panels with a border around them,' she told the Times.

'But the ones in that room are painted directly on to the background.

'So it's like they're doing something new, which is really nice but obviously they never got to enjoy it.'

...Dr Andrew Sillett, a classics lecturer at the University of Oxford, has described the frescos as 'pretty cool' because they were likely done close to the eruption...

A third fresco in the black room, meanwhile, shows Leda, mother of Helen of Troy...

A fourth fresco, which is barely uncovered from the ancient volcanic material, shows a female figure appearing to hold a dish.

(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...


TOPICS: History; Science; Travel
KEYWORDS: art; gabrielzuchtriegel; godsgravesglyphs; houseofleda; insula6; pompeii; regiov; romanempire; vesuvius; viadinola
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To: Dr. Sivana

The curse of Cassandra: Everything she prophesied came true. The curse was no one would believe her.


21 posted on 04/12/2024 10:14:21 AM PDT by Ruy Dias de Bivar
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To: Dr. Sivana

I have been trying to figure out what the breed of dog is.


22 posted on 04/12/2024 10:30:27 AM PDT by algore
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To: SunkenCiv

I am upset at the lack of racial diversity in these frescos. They certainly do not reflect who we are today and should probably be withdrawn from public viewing if not destroyed.


23 posted on 04/12/2024 10:32:20 AM PDT by sphinx
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To: Ruy Dias de Bivar
Everything she prophesied came true. The curse was no one would believe her.

Yeah, she should have bet on the chariot races.
24 posted on 04/12/2024 10:34:01 AM PDT by Dr. Sivana
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To: married21

:^) They did use a lot of red trim at least, in their frescoed walls.

https://www.google.com/search?q=bedroom+of+augustus


25 posted on 04/12/2024 10:34:19 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (Putin should skip ahead to where he kills himself in the bunker.)
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To: sphinx

Yeah, really. Typical white supremacists. /s


26 posted on 04/12/2024 10:35:06 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (Putin should skip ahead to where he kills himself in the bunker.)
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To: Dr. Sivana

Apollo in the buff, he had to have been wealthy, because he was hung like a stud cricket.


27 posted on 04/12/2024 10:40:01 AM PDT by Glad2bnuts (“And how we burned in the camps later, thinking: We should have set up ambushes...paraphrased)
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To: SunkenCiv
"It's being called the black room because it was painted black"


28 posted on 04/12/2024 10:47:30 AM PDT by Flag_This (They're lying.)
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To: Ruy Dias de Bivar

Black is totally necessary in art. It sets a contrast.

Certain color combinations will draw you eye and certain others will give you a headache.

Red and blue side by side will because your eye cannot focus on the two opposite ends of the spectrum simultaneously. They will seem to vibrate......................


29 posted on 04/12/2024 11:34:13 AM PDT by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegals are put up in 5 Star hotels....................)
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To: SunkenCiv

On a serious note, do you know if these frescos will be left in place or removed to the museums for better curation?

I’ve only gotten to Pompeii once, seven or eight years ago, and of course most of the surviving decorative arts had been removed. There were just a few scattered examples remaining. We got the lecture about the preservation issues involved, but time, technologies, and standards of curation march on. Protection against direct sunlight and airborne pollutants would be issues, but for all I know, there might be technical solutions available now.

It would of course be nice to see as much as possible onsite, but in addition, museums end up putting a lot of their holdings into storage. Since cost is no object when it comes to archaeological sites (/s), I’d be all in favor of preservation in place if it’s technically feasible.


30 posted on 04/12/2024 12:58:15 PM PDT by sphinx
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To: algore

Yikes. I thought mine was small.


31 posted on 04/12/2024 1:15:20 PM PDT by Fledermaus (Is it me, or all of a sudden have the buried trolls come out on FR like cicadas? It's all noise.)
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To: sphinx

I don’t. In the past some have been removed for conservation and then returned to the original spot. Others were moved permanently to museums. Building a new roof was the approach for the House of the Vettei, although the original was over a second storey which is lost.


32 posted on 04/12/2024 1:35:13 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Putin should skip ahead to where he kills himself in the bunker.)
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To: Glad2bnuts

See Michaelangelo’s David. Also appears to be uncircumcised.


33 posted on 04/12/2024 1:36:33 PM PDT by jjotto ( Blessed are You LORD, who crushes enemies and subdues the wicked.)
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To: ComputerGuy

Definitely. I was there in ‘68 and it is the #1 place I would like to visit again. Rome would be #2.


34 posted on 04/12/2024 2:01:42 PM PDT by Semper Vigilantis (When a society accepts insanity as normalcy that society is doomed. )
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To: jjotto

Aren’t these supposed to be Greeks and Italians “Romans” who are rumored to be well endowed. I grew up in a large family, Father 2 6 children, popi to 19. As portrayed in marble and on paintings, they either de-emphasize that part on purpose, or use infants for models.


35 posted on 04/12/2024 4:29:01 PM PDT by Glad2bnuts (“And how we burned in the camps later, thinking: We should have set up ambushes...paraphrased)
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To: algore

It looks more like a big cat with odd ears.


36 posted on 04/12/2024 7:39:21 PM PDT by madison10
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To: madison10

Honestly that was my first thought

Perhaps should be cataloged as a large pompean fold.

Unfortunately big cats are bed hogs and must have the exact middle.


37 posted on 04/13/2024 4:11:15 PM PDT by algore
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To: SunkenCiv

“One of the stunning artworks depicts Helen of Troy, a beautiful woman in Greek mythology, meeting Paris, prince of Troy, for the first time”


38 posted on 04/13/2024 4:15:27 PM PDT by linMcHlp
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