Archaeologists Unearthed A Shrine In Pompeii With Rare Blue Paint On The Walls

At Pompeii, numerous artifacts and structures have been found, offering an intriguing glimpse of another time.
After the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 C.E., the ancient Roman city was buried by volcanic rock and ash, preserving its remains for over 2,000 years.
Every day, more new discoveries are being made in Pompeii, as there is still about a third of the city that has not been fully excavated yet.
Recently, archaeologists have unearthed another fascinating find in the form of a shrine with rare blue paint on the walls.
It is called a sacrarium, which is a type of ancient Roman shrine where rituals were performed and sacred objects were held.
Aside from the blue color, the walls are adorned with paintings of female figures who symbolize the four seasons.
On some of the walls, there are images related to agriculture and sheep farming, such as a plow and a staff that was used by shepherds and hunters. One of the paintings appeared to be of a large spotted cat.
According to the Pompeii Archaeological Park, the blue color choice for the shrine is special since the hue was generally reserved for elaborately decorated rooms, making it a rare occurrence. It signified that the space was of great importance.
Archaeologists came across the shrine during excavations in Regio IX, a residential area in central Pompeii.

BlackMac – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only
This location has been seeing a lot of activity in recent years and has produced plenty of new finds. Back in its heyday, Regio IX contained more than 13,000 rooms across 1,070 housing units.
The shrine is about 86 square feet. Archaeologists found two bronze jugs, two bronze oil lamps, 15 vessels known as amphorae, and other household furnishings.
In addition, they uncovered construction materials that were most likely used for renovations and a heap of empty oyster shells.
The ancient Romans may have saved the shells to grind down and incorporate into mortar and plaster.
Gennaro Sangiuliano, the Italian Minister of Culture, visited the archaeological site recently and described it as a “treasure chest that is still partly unexplored.”
The excavations are part of a larger project to make a clear division between the excavated and non-excavated portions of Pompeii.
The culture ministry says that the goal of the project is to improve the protection of Pompeiian heritage.
The shrine is just the latest in a notable stream of finds within the ancient city. Not too long ago, archaeologists in Pompeii stumbled upon sketches depicting scenes of gladiators and hunters battling animals and against each other.
The drawings were made by children between the ages of five and seven, sometime before the eruption of Mount Vesuvius.
They showed that even young children were exposed to extreme violence during ancient times.
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