Villa
of Mysteries
Image
by Archnet.com
Other than the villa of Doomed, there
is villa of mysteries, which has gained fame for being the most important
decorative fresco gatherings in the history of the Roman world. The villa was
discovered in 1909. At that moment, the villa was at risk of losing its
decorations to earth quakes and other potentially damaging elements. It was endangered
by volcanic ash, approximately 30 feet. The initial villa was constructed in
the second century BC. However, the current version is believed to have been
set between 70 and 60 B.C. In A.D. 62, there was an earthquake that destroyed
the preliminary version of the villa. This led to an extensive remodeling of
the villa of mysteries. The renovation included numerous specifications has its
previously space formed from a noble villa to an active farmhouse.
Some of the retained features of the
former version include the plasterwork of the vestibule even though they have
faded. There are masonry benches on
either sides of the vestibule. The villa of mysteries features corridors that
open off both the north and south sides of the vestibule. It should be noted that
the corridor opening to the north is relatively narrower and opens up to a
significantly rather large room. A function on one of its walls characterizes
this large hall as one of its domain features.
The villa of mysteries has aperistyle colonnade that is supported by 16 fluted Doric columns. We have a high boundary wall gapping the
space between the columns. The high boundary walls are painted with red panels
on a white ground situated in the lower black frieze. On the upper zone, we
have a frieze made up of green blocks. A red entablature surmounts the green
blocks.
A semi-ruinous conditioned room opens
off the North West corner. This room leads to another odd shaped room with an
apse on one of its walls and four niches that are rectangular in shape. The
building’s masonry alters fronting the labarum niche. Interestingly, this niche
has two statuettes: Hercules and another one for an ancient goddess. There is tetra
style atrium whose roof is supported by four central brick columns. The atrium
is decorated with gray mosaic floor that has white, red and gray marble chips. We have adjoining Orcus whose access is the
South Western corner of the perystyle. This room has second style decoration
forms and yellow panels. The second style decorations entail fluted columns,
festoons of garlands and illusionary architecture. The floor is mosaic in
nature and has a single black border.
Image
by archnet.com shows distinctive elevation lines and floor plan perspective
Over the years, efforts have been made
to conserve the walls, floors and frescoes of the villa. At team individuals
with different expertise background have come together to correct the damaged
caused by previous conservators and also restore the villa to its former
remarkable interior. These experts include architects, chemists, physicist and
archaeologists.
Work
Cited:
1.
Hammer,
C.,Longfellow, B.,&Swetnam-Burland, M.(2000). The Villa of Mysteries in Pompeii:ancient ritual, modern muse.E.K.
Gazda(Ed). Kelsey Museum of Archaelogy.
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