Latest news with #E-JournaloftheExcavationsofPompeii
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Immaculately Preserved Funerary Statues Found in Pompeii
Archaeologists working at a city in the ancient Roman city of Pompeii have discovered two life-sized funerary statues depicting a man and a woman, Ancient Origins reported. The statues were located in the necropolis of Porto Sarno, which was first discovered in 1998 when archaeologists came upon 50 cremation burial sites. Researchers believe the latest discoveries depict two real people of high social status who lived in Porto Sarno, rather than mythical gods. It's a notable glimpse into the society's power dynamics and its burial found the statues at the top of a huge mausoleum featuring and entry wall, at the top of which both statues had been installed. The statues are painstakingly detailed, with great time taken to evoke the people they depicted. Researchers say even the jewelry on their bodies and the folds of their clothing were represented by the statues. 'The two life-size figures are sculpted separately on two different tuff ashlars. However, the two reliefs are perfectly united, appearing to be a single sculpture,' lead author Llorenç Alapont and his fellow researchers wrote of their discoveries in a study published by the E-Journal of the Excavations of Pompeii. 'Both the bodies and heads of the well-to-do young married couple are shown frontally in high relief, proudly wanting to emphasize their status through the language of imagery.' The female statue has a symbol carved into its midsection which archaeologists posit is indicative of her religious involvement within the community. some believe she may have been a priestess who represented the god Ceres. At the time, becoming a priestess was a desirable and attainable goal for many women. 'It is clear that there were priestesses of Ceres in Pompeii, but this statue provides new evidence of the importance of the cult in the city,' the study explained. 'In addition, the cult of Ceres has been linked to the popular classes. The ostentation of the female relief may suggest that the status of priestess was still reserved for women belonging to a relatively high social standing. These sculptures belong to a large class of funerary reliefs made between the first century BC and the first century AD,' the archaeological team explained. 'Nevertheless, these types of sculptures are very rare in southern Italy. It is even more unusual to find reliefs of priestesses holding their religious objects.' The statues have been moved within the archaeological site to the Palaestra Grand, where scientists are hard at work restoring them. They will be displayed during this month's exhibition Being a Woman in Ancient Pompeii, which opens April 16.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Archaeologists Discovered Two Life-Size Statues at Pompeii, Covered With Mysterious Symbols
Archaeologists excavating the Porta Sarno necropolis in Pompeii, Italy, discovered life-sized statues of a man and woman as part of a funerary relief. Experts believe the couple depicted were of high status, and the there are symbols included on the woman's statue that lead researchers to believe that she was a priestess of Ceres. The public will be able to watch live-time restoration on the statues starting in mid April. In 79 A.D., the sky above the city of Pompeii, Italy, turned gray. But it wasn't snow that began falling—it was ash. Mount Vesuvius was erupting. For 12 hours, the volcano rained ash and pumice on the city, and soon the eruptions would worsen. Mount Vesuvius began spewing hot gas and lava fragments (part of multiple pyroclastic surges), killing many of the 20,000 citizens living in Pompeii and nearby Heracleum. Today, both the tragedy and the region more broadly are still a major area of study. Archaeologists recently excavated the Porta Sarno necropolis in Pompeii and discovered a funerary relief featuring statues of a life-sized man and woman. The statues, likely a husband and wife, are part of a larger monumental tomb, consisting of a large wall with several niches. The statues' archaic features and carving quality suggest they were likely made during the late Republic Period—a time of immense social inequality, with elites making their power known through funerary monuments. The presence of the funerary relief and other details on the statues lead researchers to believe that the husband and wife were influential in high society. For instance, the man is depicted wearing a toga that reaches his mid shin. Researchers suggest this was to show off his 'calcei patricii,' a type of footwear worn by upper class Romans. The ring on his left hand and intricacy of his eyes and curls were also indicators of high status. Findings from the archaeological dig were published in the E-Journal of the Excavations of Pompeii. Interestingly, some of the woman's accessories suggest she may have been a priestess of Ceres, goddess of fertility, motherly relationships, and agriculture. She is depicted wearing a necklace with a crescent moon in the middle called a lunula. These amulets were typically worn by girls before marriage, but the presence of a lunula on a married woman suggests that she is a priestess, as Ceres was often symbolically connected to the moon. The statue of the woman also showed her holding a laurel asperigillum—a ceremonial tool used to bless spaces. The excavation effort is a joint effort between the University of Valencia and the Pompeii Archaeological Park, one that began in July 2024 and is part of the larger research project Investigating the Archaeology of Death in Pompeii. This is not the first time the Porta Sarno necropolis has been explored, however. The area was also excavated in the 90s for construction of the Circumvesuviana, a railway network in Italy. According to a press release, the 1998 excavations revealed more than 50 cremation monuments marked by stelae and funerary arches, functioning similarly to modern-day headstones. The statues have since been moved to Palestra Grande at the excavation site for restoration. In the future, the statues will be displayed as a part of the larger Being a Woman in Ancient Pompeii exhibition, set to open on April 16. The public will be able to view live-time restoration of the statues as a part of the exhibit. 'This campaign is a precious opportunity to expand research and enhancement activities in the area outside the walls of Pompeii' Gabriel Zuchtriegel—Director of the Park—said in the translated press release. You Might Also Like The Do's and Don'ts of Using Painter's Tape The Best Portable BBQ Grills for Cooking Anywhere Can a Smart Watch Prolong Your Life?
