A team of archaeologists has found a room painted in a bright blue color, which is quite rare in Pompeii.

This special room is located in the Insula 10 area of Regio IX. Experts believe it was used for pagan rituals and to keep sacred items safe.

The walls of this space, called Room 32, cover an area of eight square meters and are decorated with frescoes.

These frescoes follow the Fourth Style, a type of artwork known for its detailed stories and fancy designs. This style was popular from about 60 to 79 CE and often featured architectural patterns and elaborate scenes on the walls of Roman homes, as reported by Archaeology Mag.

Blue backdrop complemented by red-lined niches

The sacrarium boasts walls painted in a stunning sky blue, a color seldom found in Pompeii and usually reserved for very important places. Alongside this blue, there are red-bordered spaces, probably where statues and sacred objects were kept.

Moreover, the frescoes on the walls show female figures symbolizing the four seasons, farming, and herding. These figures wear flower crowns, and flowing clothes, and some appear naked, which adds to the room’s mystical feel.

The excavation team uncovered several artifacts in the room, indicating it was used for pagan rituals and storing sacred objects. They found 15 amphorae, two jugs, two lamps, and three decorative boxes set into the walls, which likely held devotional statues.

The presence of building materials, such as piles of oyster shells meant for mixing with plaster and mortar, suggests the house was being renovated when the eruption occurred, as reported by Archaeology Mag.

Gennaro Sangiuliano, Italy’s Minister of Culture, visited the site and called the ancient city “a treasure chest that is still partly unexplored.”

He further added, “Pompeii is an immense archaeological laboratory that gained strength in recent years and amazes the world with continuous discoveries brought to light.”

New findings fit into Roman literature and art

The new findings fit into the larger picture of Roman literature and art, where themes of pastoral life and farming often represented a longing for simpler times.

Famous works like Virgil’s “Georgics” and “Eclogues” praised the peaceful countryside while recognizing the contrast between the idealized past and the challenges of Roman society.

Moreover, the decorations in the room might capture this mix of feelings, showing respect for agricultural gods and a desire to return to the uncomplicated rural life of the past.

A comparison arises between the sacrarium and a recent discovery at the nearby villa of Civita Giuliana. There, archaeologists unearthed the practical living quarters of servants, starkly different from the ornate sacrarium.

This space lacked decorative frescoes but contained essential items like a bed, work tools, a basket, rope, and wooden planks. These items were preserved by volcanic ash, which turned into a substance called cinerite.

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