Ancient Pompeii unveils vibrant fresco of Dionysian mysteries

The ancient city in southern Italy, completely destroyed in AD 79 by the eruption of Vesuvius, continues to yield new discoveries. In the recently discovered House of Thiasos in Pompeii, archaeologists encountered an exceptionally large fresco depicting mysterious cult practices associated with Dionysus. This extremely rare painting from that period was just presented by the Archaeological Park of Pompeii. The fresco was found in the so-called Ninth Region of Pompeii (one of nine districts) — excavations in this part of the city began in 2023 on a large area covering about 3,200 square metres and are now in the final phase.

The photos from the new discovery are spectacular. Archaeologists and researchers describe the fresco as a "megalograph." The painting, almost life-sized, adorns three walls of a spacious banquet hall, with the fourth opening to a garden. Against a vibrant red background, there is a procession of Dionysus – the god of wine, with bacchantes and satyrs in dynamic poses - young satyrs play flutes and offer wine. There are also maenads — the female companions of the ancient god — depicted both as dancers and hunters, holding slain young goats or swords.

At the centre of this scene are an old satyr and a young woman, preparing for initiation into the Dionysian cult. The mysterious aspect of this cult lay in its secrets. Although many aspects of the Dionysian rituals have been lost over the centuries, historical records suggest these rituals involved using large amounts of wine and other intoxicants, such as opium, to induce a trance. Dionysus was also seen as a resurrecting god, a promise made to those initiated into the mysteries.

The only other known example of a large fresco depicting Dionysian rituals is the one discovered in 1909 in a suburban villa in Pompeii, known as the Villa of Mysteries. That painting also features satyrs, maenads, and a woman preparing for marriage, but lacks hunting elements.

Both examples of frescoes, as noted by Gabriel Zuchtriegel, director of the Archaeological Park in Pompeii, portray "the wild, untamed side of femininity", a woman who "breaks the male order to freely dance, hunt, and eat raw meat in the mountains and forests."

The paintings from both locations date from the mid-1st century BC, which means they may have already been considered historical at the time. When Vesuvius erupted in AD 79, it preserved them for two millennia. The frescoes suggest that the ban on celebrating mysterious rites introduced in 186 BC was often ignored, at least in this region.

In antiquity, mystery cults existed that were accessible only to the initiated. They included rituals promising a new, happy existence both in life and after death. The discovered fresco can be dated to 40-30 BC.

The newly discovered scene adds another element to the concept of the mysteries — hunting. Above the main frieze is a smaller strip depicting animals such as deer, boars, and birds. "This is a unique testimony to the religious and artistic history of Pompeii," said Italian Minister of Culture Alessandro Giuli in a statement from the Pompeii park. The new fresco has already been made available for viewing.