What is the villa of the mysteries in Pompeii?
The Villa of the Mysteries ( Italian: Villa dei Misteri) is a well-preserved suburban ancient Roman villa on the outskirts of Pompeii, southern Italy. It is famous for the series of exquisite frescos in one room, which are usually thought to show the initiation of a young woman into a Greco-Roman mystery cult.
What can we learn from the frescoes of the villa of mysteries?
The frescoes in the Villa of Mysteries provide us the opportunity to glimpse something important about the rites of passage for the women of Pompeii. But as there are few written records about mystery religions and initiation rites, any iconographic interpretation is bound to be flawed.
What happened to the villa of the mysteries?
Five months after the Villa of the Mysteries was first uncovered, it still had no roof to protect it. Moisture began to infiltrate and weaken the walls and damage the frescoes, harmful salts from the wet ground left white splotches on the paintings, and the sun began to fade the fragile pigments.
What is the difference between Villa dei Misteri and Villa of mysteries?
"Villa dei Misteri" redirects here. For the Pompeiian wine, see Villa dei Misteri (wine). The Villa of the Mysteries ( Italian: Villa dei Misteri) is a well-preserved suburban ancient Roman villa on the outskirts of Pompeii, southern Italy.
Why is it called the Villa of Mysteries?
It is named after the hall of mysteries located in the residential part of the building, which faces the sea. A large continuous fresco that covers three walls, one of the most preserved ancient paintings, depicts a mysterious rite, that is reserved for the devotees of the cult.
What are the elements of the Villa of Mysteries?
In Pompeii, in a building called the Villa of Mysteries, a large inner room features a painted frieze; a decorative wall panel that touches the ceiling. This frieze wraps around the entire room and depicts a strange scene full of color, pageantry, and violence.
Is Villa of Mysteries religious?
These paintings in the Villa of Mysteries, however, form a sequence, taking up the whole space of the room, and they clearly depict a religious ritual. The mistress of the house was probably a devotee of the Dionysiac cult and this room might have been used for the actual rites.
What are the characteristics of fresco from the Villa of Mysteries?
Many rooms were covered in frescoes, including a bedroom with simple black walls, an atrium decorated with panels painted to resemble stone, several rooms that contain fantastical architecture and landscapes, and scenes of sacrifices, gods, and satyrs.
Who owned the villa of mysteries?
the Istacidii familyThis is the so-called Villa of the Mysteries, a suburban villa (that is, a countryside mansion), possibly owned by a rich and powerful family of the city, the Istacidii family. This is one of the last, or first, houses that you will see if you happen to visit Pompeii, distant as it is from the centre of the town.
What is depicted in a cycle of wall paintings in the Pompeiian villa of mysteries?
The show will center on well-known paintings discovered in 1909 in the Villa of the Mysteries in Pompeii. This ancient fresco cycle depicts statuesque women engaged in activities that have often been connected with the initiation of a young woman into the mysteries of the cult of Dionysus in preparation for marriage.
What is the initiation chamber?
The Initiation Chamber measures 15 by 25 feet, and is located in the front of the villa on the right side. The term "mysteries" refers to secret initiation rites of the Classical world. The Greek word for "rite" means "to grow up".
Who painted villa of Livia?
Reeder, Jane Clark. The Villa of Livia Ad Gallinas Albas.
What is the mystery of Pompeii?
The tombs of Pompeii, the Roman city buried by a volcanic eruption in A.D. 79, had a litter problem. Animal bones, charcoal, broken pottery and architectural material, such as bricks, were found piled inside and outside the tombs where the city's dead were laid to rest.
How did Romans use frescoes to decorate their houses?
A fresco is made by first preparing the wall with 1-3 coats of mortar (a lime and sand mix), then covering that with 1-3 coats of lime mixed with finely powdered marble. While this plaster is still wet, pigments are applied in the desired design so as to create a painting that is actually part of the wall.
What kind of painting is a fresco?
fresco painting, method of painting water-based pigments on freshly applied plaster, usually on wall surfaces. The colours, which are made by grinding dry-powder pigments in pure water, dry and set with the plaster to become a permanent part of the wall.
What are the divine mysteries Catholic?
Although Orthodox instructional materials may list seven sacred mysteries, the same as the Western seven sacraments: Baptism, Chrismation (Confirmation), Confession (Penance, Reconciliation or Confession), Holy Communion (Eucharist or Holy Communion), Marriage (Holy Matrimony), Ordination (Holy Orders), and Unction ( ...
What are the ancient mystery religions?
Indeed, both Gnostics and early Christians often refer to their teachings and practices as "Mysteries." This final class will examine the extent to which, as many scholars have suggested, Gnosticism and Christianity need to be included in the category of "ancient Mystery religions."
What are the three mysteries of faith?
The Paschal Mystery (Passion, Death, Resurrection and glorious Ascension of the Lord) is central to the Mass and the Eucharist. The Eucharistic celebration is the summit of the church's liturgical celebrations.
What are mysteries of God?
Mysteries of God are spiritual truths known only by revelation. God reveals His mysteries to those who are obedient to the gospel. Some of God's mysteries are yet to be revealed. It is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, Matt.
When was the Villa of the Mysteries discovered?
The moment the Villa of the Mysteries was discovered in spring 1909, it was at risk. Once protected by a layer of at least 30 feet of the volcanic ash and soil that had fallen on Pompeii in A.D. 79, the villa’s stunning decoration was immediately exposed to potential damage from the elements and earthquakes, one of which occurred a bit more ...
How many rooms are there in the Villa of the Mysteries?
Built just outside one of Pompeii’s main gates in the first half of the second century B.C., the Villa of the Mysteries covered about 40,000 square feet and had at least 60 rooms.
How do conservators fill cracks in paintings?
To fill cracks in the paintings, conservators inject a diluted acrylic resin directly into the surfaces.
What was the function of the Roman villa?
At various times the villa functioned, as many ancient Roman estates did, as both luxury home and working farm. There were areas for pressing grapes into wine, several large kitchens and baths, gardens, shrines, marble statues, and all the spaces necessary for a wealthy patron to welcome guests for both business and pleasure.
What were the rooms in the Atrium decorated with?
Many rooms were covered in frescoes, including a bedroom with simple black walls, an atrium decorated with panels painted to resemble stone, several rooms that contain fantastical architecture and landscapes, and scenes of sacrifices, gods, and satyrs.
Who changed the name of the Villa of the Mysteries?
But in 1931, Amadeo Maiuri, the director of excavations at Pompeii, changed the name to the “Villa of the Mysteries” upon publication of his excavation report to focus attention on the red room’s decoration, the property’s most extraordinary feature. (Pasquale Sorrentino)
What is the process of cleaning frescoes?
The process by which the lasers clean the frescoes—a few microns at a time—is called photoablation, a sort of vaporization of what can appear as a layer of black crust.
Where is the Villa of Mysteries?
The Villa of Mysteries. This is the most famous country villa in the whole area around Mount Vesuvius. If the internal road is closed, it can be reached on foot by following the modern road for a short way after leaving the Pompeii archaeological site proper (keep your ticket as this is also valid for entry to the Villa of Mysteries).
When was the wine press added to the old building?
It was added onto the former building in the 1st century A.D. In the farm area on the right of the main entrance, archaeologists found the wine-press that was situated in the rooms where the wine was made.
Overview
The Villa of the Mysteries (Italian: Villa dei Misteri) is a well-preserved suburban ancient Roman villa on the outskirts of Pompeii, southern Italy. It is famous for the series of exquisite frescos in one room, which are usually thought to show the initiation of a young woman into a Greco-Roman mystery cult. These are now among the best known of the relatively rare survivals of Ancient Roman painting from …
Location
The villa is located some 400 m northwest of the town walls, along a road lined with funerary monuments, and was near the ancient seashore. It lies on a hill and enjoyed a wonderful view of the current Gulf of Naples; it rests on a slope and is partly supported by a cryptoporticus formed by blind arches.
History
The villa was built in the 2nd century BC and reached its period of maximum splendor during the Augustan age when it was considerably enlarged and embellished. It was then a villa otium with large rooms and hanging gardens, in a panoramic position. Following the earthquake of 62 AD, it fell into disrepair, as did much of the city, and was transformed into a villa rustica with the addition of agricultural equipment such as a wine press. The building was also used for the production a…
Description
Although covered with metres of pumice and ash, the Villa sustained only minor damage during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. Most of its walls, ceilings, and particularly its frescoes survived largely intact.
Though often believed to be a triclinium, the room with the frescoes could also have been the bedroom or cubiculum of the mistress of the house, which woul…
Frescoes
The Villa is named for the paintings in one of its numerous rooms, probably a dining room (triclinium in Latin) and is decorated with very fine frescoes, which are dated to about 70-60 BC. Although the actual subject of the frescoes is debated, the most common interpretation is that they depict the initiation of a woman into the Dionysian Mysteries, a mystery cult devoted to the god known t…
Archaeology
The villa, initially called Villa Item, was brought to light between 1909 and 1910 in an excavation conducted by the owner of the land; a more in-depth investigation was carried out between 1929 and 1930, following the expropriation imposed by the Italian State. The excavation of the whole villa was never completed.
Important restoration and conservation work took place from 2013 to 2015.
See also
• Roman architecture
• List of Roman domes
• Pompei Scavi-Villa dei Misteri railway station
External links
• Preservation of the Villa featured on archaeology.org
• Villa of the Mysteries on www.art-and-archaeology.com
• Romano-Campanian Wall-Painting (English, Italian, Spanish and French introduction)