Millennia after the famed Roman city of Pompeii's well-documented destruction, a vividly hued fresco in phenomenal condition was discovered buried under Mt. Vesuvius' ash by archaeologists working at the site.
Pristine Pompeii Fresco Depicting Phrixus and Helle
The momentous finding, which depicted the Greek mythological refugee siblings Phrixus and Helle, was announced during a publicly available press briefing by the Pompeii Archaeological Park, which manages the historical site's overall area and discoveries.
In the briefing, Park Director Gabriel Zuchtriegel explained that the fresco was found in an area they dubbed the "House of Leda," adding that the painting was most likely produced shortly after the structure was built.
Zuchtriegel also delved a bit into the Greek mythological siblings' identity, explaining how they were forced to become refugees after finding out about their stepmother's plot against them.
This context is relevant to the fresco's depiction of the two, as it shows them in the middle of drowning as they cross the strait between Europe and Asia in an attempt to escape.
The artwork itself was painted in a manner that mimics framed pieces, as it "hung" on the mansion's indoor yellow wall.
As per Zuchtriegel, the excavations at the House of Leda mansion began in the 18th century, although, it was only relaunched in 2018 under a new mission of restoring the entire plot and structure within the area.
In addition to this incredible discovery, other still-life paintings and portraiture of women have also been found in the historical city.
Destroyed in 79 AD, the ancient city of Pompeii saw the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius which resulted in the deaths of over 2,000 people.
Now, the ruins of this once-prosperous Greek-turned-Roman city are one of the most visited archaeological sites in the world, attracting an annual visitor count of around 4 million.
Interest in the city will surely not cease any time soon with this momentous discovery, alongside another breakthrough that involved the decoding of an ancient Roman scroll similarly buried under Mt. Vesuvius' ash.
