‘Sensual’ Pompeii fresco unearthed
Italy
Archaeologists in Pompeii have discovered an erotically charged fresco depicting a mythical encounter between the Spartan queen Leda and a swan.
Discovered during a new wave of excavations at the Roman city, the fresco was described as ‘‘explicit and sensual’’ and ‘‘of the highest quality’’ by Massimo Osanna, director of the site.
Digging through layers of pumice left by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79AD, archaeologists found the image of Leda glancing coyly at them as she lifts up her robe for the swan.
The fresco is inspired by the legend in which Leda was seduced or raped, depending on the interpretation, by the Greek god Zeus, who had disguised himself as the swan.
The story was taken up by WB Yeats in his 1923 sonnet Leda and the Swan. Experts at Pompeii told
that the image appeared to be based on a 4th century BC statue of Leda by the Greek sculptor Timotheus that was widely copied in Roman times. ‘‘It’s about the tenth image of Leda found at Pompeii, although usually she is on her feet. This one is more explicit,’’ one archaeologist said.
The fresco was discovered in the bedroom of a house where there is an image in the front hall of Priapus, a god of fertility who is depicted, as per Roman custom, weighing his oversized penis in a scale.
The many depictions of Priapus found in the buried city, combined with explicit imagery of sexual positions found in ancient brothels there, has given Pompeii the reputation of being obsessed with sex.
Osanna, however, claims that libidos there were normal.
‘‘Priapus was associated with wealth, not sex, and is always pictured like this,’’ he said.
‘‘As for the other images, all Roman towns had them. The difference is that at Pompeii they are preserved and we can still see them.’’
– The Times