Villa dei Misteri
We want to challenge our customers: after so many clues you can guess what Pompeii attraction we are talking about?First clue: it was excavated for the first time in the early 1800 by the archaeologist Maiuri.
Second clue: it was closed for two years for restoration, which brought the colors of the frescoes to their ancient splendor.
Third clue: it is located near Herculaneum Gate.
Do you want other clues?
Fourth clue: it occupies an area of approximately 2500 square meters distributed in about 60 environments, including a small spa.
Fifth clue: the first architectural system dates from the Sannitic era.
Sixth clue: the owners changed over the centuries; The last ones were the Istacidii, a wealthy family enriched by agricultural labor and wine production.
Is it all clear or branched still in the dark? Here are some other precious information for you.
Seventh clue: Although it is a home, it does not have the typical naming of domus, but it is indeed the symbol of the houses of Pompeii.
Eighth clue: it is divided into two parts: a luxurious residential part (with atrium, tablin, triclinio, esedra, cryptoportico, spa and peristyle) where he resided with his family the master; A production part ("rustic villa" = farm) where agricultural products were stored and wine was produced (in fact, a wooden press similar to the one used in the past, which was built by Maiuri more than a hundred years ago) . Ninth clue: it is famous for a triclix fresco.
Should we continue with the clues?
Tenth and last clue: The best way to present this Pompeii building is to play the mysterious ones. Now there is no doubt: we are talking about "Villa of Mysteries", reopened to the public in 2015 after an extraordinary restoration work. Certainly, the most photographed and well-known hall of this Roman villa is the so-called "Trichliner of the Mysteries" containing a fresco that runs on three walls for a total of 17 meters in length and three meters in height. On the red cinnabar bottom (color imported from the East and then expensive, confirming that the owner of the villa was very rich) there are various natural-sized scenes. Many of these figures have purple-colored garments, the color tied to Bacchus, the god of wine: it must not be forgotten that in the Roman times the wine had a purple color, perhaps because the wine had the most color of the must. In fact, the central theme of the fresco is certainly connected to Baccus, which also appears as always embroidered in the scene of the central wall of the triclinium. The theme of painting is a mystery in a twofold sense:
1. It is a mystery in the sense that it almost certainly represents what the ancients called "mystery ritual", that is, a secret ritual to whose participants the ban was imposed on spreading the practices of the ritual. For this reason we modern people really know very little about these rituals made in antiquity.
2. It is a mystery in the sense that in the end the true meaning of the fresco is still unknown and therefore remains a mystery: is it a rite that prepares the woman to marry? Or is it a ritual that prepares the woman for the mysterious rites of Bacchus? Or does the sacred holidays of March and April of the Romans resume?
According to the second interpretation, the fresco would tell the various moments of the process of initiating a woman to the rituals in honor of Bacco: in fact, it can be followed, looking from left to right, his story since he is a child until he becomes An unshaping menade dancing naked. So the theme of the fresco revolves around Bacco. Those who claim this theory point to various details, including various details of the fresco itself (such as the purple of the clothes of the characters that, as we have said, is the color of the wine and then of Bacchus) and the frescoes of the tableland (where There are decorations reminiscent of Bacco's symbols) and the largest production activity of the Istacidii family, that is, the production of wine. But we noticed the expression of the face of the protagonist woman and other characters: it is always sad. Why? Does that mean that you did not want to go to this rite? But, metaphorically, what does this rite represent? Maybe prostitution? So the woman did not want to become a prostitute? And if it was true, who wanted to depict this sad story in a fresco of his own home? And why? How do other fresco figures explain?
And then, what elements of the villa and fresco do you think of the other two interpretations of the fresco?
Discover the answer to these questions when you're in front of the fresco by yourself or with our expert guides!
Villa dei Misteri is located within the excavations of Pompeii and therefore its visit is included in the entrance ticket price.
Book your excursion to Naples Pompeii Excursion with Naples Tour Service: you will be taken from your hotel, port or any other point and boarding comfortable air-conditioned minivans to Pompeii and then, upon a final visit, back to your starting point.
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