Round table discussion forum 3 (material culture and other physical remains) (2025-26)

The Villa of the Mysteries

Sat, 24 Jan 2026 22:48:18 GMT

by Apollo Caddy.

The most notable material found at the villa of the mysteries are the frescoes covering the walls of room 5 - a room situated towards the back of the villa, thought to have been a triclinium or a cubiculum. The frescoes date to the mid first century BC and depict scenes connected to Dionysus, often interpreted as an initiation ritual into a Greco-Roman mystery cult. Included in the frescoes are images of a young woman or ‘initiate’ engaging in ritual activity surrounded by other women and dionysiac motifs, and is later prepared for marriage and seen in the last portrait of the room as a domina, bearing a ring on her finger. Alongside the frescoes, mosaics, a few plaster casts of human remains (two in lower layers of volcanic ash and six in upper layers, indicating they survived the initial eruption) a wine press, and the remains of a horse wearing a harness have all been recovered from the villa. The harness upon the horse suggests intent to evacuate those remaining within the villa, and others may have already been evacuated in this manner, but there is no epigraphic evidence of this being the case. In 2017, evidence of tunnels dug into the walls of the villa were found, suggesting the site had been looted and is missing other artefacts.

The Building of Eumachia

Sun, 18 Jan 2026 23:48:00 GMT

by Robert Edwards.

Material culture, physical remains and epigraphic evidence found within the structure or vicinity

· There are several inscriptions found in the building

· One inscription is found on the top of the colonnade, it states that the building was paid for by and built at the request of Eumachia, public priestess of Pompeii.

· A second inscription is found at the base of the statue of Eumachia, it states “To Eumachia, daughter of Lucius, public priestess, the fullers (set this up).”

· A third inscription is found on a plaque dedicated to Aeneas

· A fourth inscription is found on a plaque dedicated to Romulus, and his founding of Rome

· On the now-destroyed decorative plasterwork walls, there were a number of pieces of graffiti, recorded by an artist in the early 19^th century. Unfortunately what these said was almost entirely lost due to the deterioration of the plaster, except for one piece that read: “The gladiatorial troop of Aulus Suettius Certus, aedile, will fight at Pompeii on the 31 May. There will be a hunt and awnings”

· A herm was located in the portico, with an inscription referring to a popular actor “Gaius Norbanus Sorex”

Sanctuary of Venus

Sun, 18 Jan 2026 16:09:17 GMT

by Olivia Hunt.

Temple/Sanctuary of Venus

General Description

· Major Roman sanctuary dedicated to Venus

· On high terrace

· Part of larger sacred precinct including porticoes and a garden area

Physical Remains & Architecture

· remains today consist mainly of podium (foundation) and scattered architectural fragments, as the structure was stripped after 79 AD.

· sat atop a large concrete and lava podium about 30 m x 15 m

· colonnaded portico on multiple sides, though most columns are gone

· Travertine altar remnant show where offerings and sacrifices were made

· Two pedestals likely held equestrian statues

· Fresco fragments and decorative flooring (opus sectile) have been found in the precinct showing it was richly decorated

Architectural & Decorative Materials

· Marble was used extensively for decoration, indicating prestige and wealth

· Traces of vibrant fresco pigments and plaster show the artistic techniques used

Artefacts

· Excavations have uncovered:

o Marble fragments (likely from statues or architectural features)

o Ceramics and votive objects tied to ritual practice

o large gold lamp discovered in a 19th-century chapel near the sanctuary was possibly a votive gift.

Epigraphic Evidence

· Few direct inscriptions within the temple because due to damage and looting

· epigraphic material related to Venus and religious office holders (e.g., temple servants) has been found elsewhere in Pompeii (not in the temple area), indicating the cult’s civic importance

· For example, an inscription records a freedman associated with the temple of Venus, identifying staff roles tied to the cult

Ritual and Social Meaning

· Venus worship included offerings at the altar and community gatherings, reinforcing the city’s identity and prosperity

· The temple’s scenic location and monumental architecture reinforced its dual religious and civic roles

o sacred space and a landmark visible to the Mediterranean world

· sacred grove and porticoes created a ritual landscape

Earthquake & Eruption Context

· temple was severely damaged by the earthquake of 62 AD and was still under reconstruction when Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD

· This unfinished state gives archaeologists a moment of active construction methods and urban disruption near the time of the eruption