Pompeii : 'The Villa of the Mysteries'

Pompeii : 'The Villa of the Mysteries'

Fresco (after restoration) depicting the initiation rites of the cult of Dionysus in the 'Villa of the Mysteries' in the ancient Roman city of Pompeii, Italy (2015). The Villa is named after the hall of mysteries located in the residential part of the building. The fresco adorning the walls dates from the first century BC and is one of the most famous of all ancient art. The frieze depicting the rite is 17 metres long and 3 metres high. The building's paintings, which feature life-sized figures, are thought to depict the initiation rites of the cult of Dionysus. A large continuous fresco that covers three walls, one of the most preserved ancient paintings, depicts a mysterious rite, that is reserved for the devotees of the cult. The scene is linked with Dionysus, who appears on the central wall with his wife Ariadne. An eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79 buried Pompeii under volcanic ash and rock. Pompeii is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Italy.

MURAL PAINTING

Album / Eric Vandeville / akg-images

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4735 x 3173 px | 43.0 MB

40.1 x 26.9 cm | 15.8 x 10.6 in (300 dpi)