The Enchanting Meeting of Prince Paris and Queen Helena: Unveiling Pompeii’s Stunning Murals

2024-04-13 01:21:23
The scene where Prince Paris of Troy meets Queen Helena of Sparta for the first time. /AFP Yonhap News

Several surprisingly well-preserved murals have been discovered at the ruins of the ancient Italian city of Pompeii. It was made using the fresco technique, so the lines and colors remain almost the same.

According to foreign media such as Reuters on the 12th (local time), the murals were painted in a banquet hall in a private house on Via di Nola, one of the longest roads in Pompeii. Pictures depicting characters from Greek mythology are engraved on all sides of the black painted walls. This fresco painting involves applying lime to the wall and then painting it before the moisture dries, using the oldest painting technique in the history of human painting.

The sun god Apollo courting the Trojan princess Cassandra. / AP Yonhap News Banquet hall in Pompeii where the murals were discovered. /AP Yonhap News

The scenes in the mural were diverse. One painting depicts the scene where Prince Paris of Troy meets Helena, queen of Sparta, for the first time. Paris’ temptation toward Helena becomes the spark for the Trojan War. Another work depicts the sun god Apollo wooing the Trojan princess Cassandra. There is also a mural showing Helena’s mother Leda with Zeus transformed into a swan.

Gabriel Zuchtriegel, director of the Pompeii Archaeological Park, estimated that these works were created between 15 BC and 40-50 AD. He said, “It appears that the reason the banquet hall walls were painted black was to hide the soot from the oil lamps.” He added, “At the time, Pompeian people would have gathered for a banquet following the sun had set, drank a few glasses of wine, and then looked at the paintings in the flickering light. “It would have seemed like the painting was alive.”

Zeus, transformed into a swan, seduces Leda. /AP Yonhap News

Some archaeologists consider the newly discovered murals to be one of Pompeii’s most surprising discoveries. Italian Culture Minister Gennano Sangiuliano also said, “Pompeii is a true treasure trove where one cannot stop being surprised and amazed because beautiful and meaningful things are discovered every time it is excavated.”

Pompeii is known as one of the most prosperous cities in the ancient Roman Empire. However, in 79 AD, Mount Vesuvius erupted and it was instantly devastated. The first excavation work began in 1748 following ruins were discovered during the construction of a waterway in the 16th century, and it is now possible to vaguely guess the city’s past form. Its archaeological value is so great that it was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.

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