Archaeologists in Pompeii have revealed rare, almost life -sized frescoes that offer fresh insight into religious practice in the old city before being destroyed by Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, the place said Wednesday.
The discovery has a large -scale frieze that spans three walls in a banquet hall that presents vivid images of the initiative rituals for supporters of Dionysus – the ancient Greek god of wine, fertility, theater and religious ecstasy.
The initiative rituals, known as Mysteries of Dionysus, were secret religious rituals dedicated to the god, promising spiritual enlightenment and possibly a blessed afterlife.
Fresko, dating from 40-30 BC, presents live images of Dionysian supporters in states with ritualist ecstasy, dance and hunting, similar to frescoes in the nearby villa of the mysteries that were uncovered 100 years ago.
“In 100 years today will be remembered as historically because the discovery we present is historic,” said Italian Minister of Culture Alessandro Giuli, who participated in the unveiling of frescoes.
“Next to the mystery villa, this fresco forms an unmatched testimony to the lesser known aspects of ancient Mediterranean life.”
The gigantic frieze illustrates the female supporters of Dionysus as both dancers and hard hunters carrying a slaughtered goat on the shoulders or holding a sword and an animal’s interference in their hands.
In the center is a fresco of an elegant dressed woman who may be waiting to be initiated in the mysteries.
An upper frieze portrays vibrant and sacrificed animals, including a fawn, a freshly blurred boar, cocks and fish. Researchers said this compilation emphasized the dual nature of Dionysian worship and combined openly with primary victim.
“The question is, what do you want to be in life, hunter or swapped?” said the director of Pompeii, Gabriel Zuchtriegel.
