The Villa is named for the paintings in one room of the residence. This space may have been a triclinium, and is decorated with very fine frescoes. Although the actual subject of the frescoes is hotly debated, the most common interpretation of the images is scenes of the initiation of a woman into a special cult of Dionysus, a mystery cult that required specific rites and rituals to become a member. Of all other interpretations, the most notable is that of Paul Veyne, who believes that it depicts a young woman undergoing the rites of marriage.The Villa had both very fine rooms for dining and entertaining and more functional spaces. A wine-press was discovered when the Villa was excavated and has been restored in its original location. It was not uncommon for the homes of the very wealthy to include areas for the production of wine, olive oil, or other agricultural products, especially since many elite Romans owned farmland or orchards in the immediate vicinity of their villas. |
Thanks for the reminder of an extraordinary historical event, Nick. I had the privilege of visiting Pompeii as a very naive 22 year old - it was an amazing experience to be there. The artwork that survived was, as you've shown, remarkable.
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesome place to visit. thanks for the great tour and for sharing your trip. The photos are amazing. Have a great day.
ReplyDeleteWhat a superb post for the day, Nick, and your photos are awesome! Such an incredible, amazing place! So much history -- sad, but fascinating! Thank you so much! I learned a lot about Pompeii that I didn't know -- it has always fascinated me!! Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteA sad place to visit. My daughters went silent thinking of the pain they must have gone through. Great pics Nick, brought back lot of memories.
ReplyDeleteAmazing info in this post. It's hard to imagine that these relics, destroyed but reborn, are still alive today to give us a glimpse into the life and culture of those so many years ago.
ReplyDeleteWow! Pompeii has always fascinated me as a child. I wish that one day I could visit such an amazing place.
ReplyDeleteBeneath Thy Feet
awesome photos! the portico is my favorite--how grand this city must be before the the catastrophic eruption. i saw a documentary about Pompeii and it gave me goosebumps. can't help but wonder if we could be another Pompeii someday.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great tour. A place I definitely want to visit. Totally fascinated by the history.
ReplyDeleteWhat a grand "feel" for this legendary place you have given us! I did not know about the graves preserved just outside the city walls! I am sure Pompeii still moves the soul!
ReplyDeleteGreat photos! I had read about Pompeii years ago.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos from a wonderful place. Pompeii has always fascinated me. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteHave a great day.
Mette
It must have been a horrific time for all the inhabitants of the town and surrounding districts, Nick. Thank you for all the details, especially concerning the plaster casts.
ReplyDeleteTwo and a half million visitors a year, is a lot of shoe leather for a site to cope with.
One of our favourite places :)
ReplyDeleteFascinating post!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.
ReplyDeleteamazing!
ReplyDeletei would love to see this!!! one day, perhaps... :) thanks for all these pics.
in boston they recently had an exhibit about pompeii and i didnt go, so stupid!
Thank you for this wonderful post which teaches me new things about old Pompeii.
ReplyDeleteI would love to be there or better yet, to dig there someday.