For me this was the high point of Pompeii. Upon discovery in 1909 the villa had no roof to protect its contents. Various roofs were added during the 20th C. The modern entrance to the villa is on the right down the sloping walkways. The pre eruption entrance was opposite on the left.
A more comprehensive re-roofing took place inn the last decade or so. My photo from of the entrance walkway. The stone structure on the roof collects water for the impluvium below.
Villa of the Mysteries
This is an extremely important villa because it houses one of the most famous frescos in all of Ancient Rome. The villa itself dates to the 2nd century BC and was built just outside the gates of Pompeii. The entire area spanned 40,000 square feet and had 60 rooms from bedrooms to kitchens and servants’ quarters. At the time of the eruption, it was already 200 years old, however, it had previously been remodeled after a major earthquake from a luxurious villa into a working albeit grand farmhouse that had its own grape press.
The room in which the villa gains both its name and fame houses a fresco that stretches over 17 metres long, a discovery that was made in 1909. The Mysteries of Dionysus is said to depict an initiation into the cult of the God of Wine; however, some arguments are made that the scene is in fact preparation for a wedding that is taking place. Either way, the vivid red colouring of the fresco has led people to nickname the area a ‘red room’, however, studies show that the room could have been a dining area. It took modern archaeologists 20 years to fully excavate as they had to continually stop and implement conservation methods to counteract the damage that previous excavators and exposure to elements had caused. As the ceiling of the room was exposed, wet rain and the sun have faded the paint and over the years there have been many efforts for preservation made. Currently, along with other methods, there are lasers which gently clean the frescoes.
An artist reconstruction of the villa showing the entrance stairs, the circular porch and, in the distance, the walls of the city and the Domus de Diomedes.
the floor plan of the house showing the covered portico that is the modern entrance on the right, the impluvium with tits rectangular pool in the center, the rounded porch at the bottom with its view of the bay of Naples and the famous mysteries frescos room marked with a star. Many of the rooms are not currently accessible.
