Frescoes and mosaics of Herculaneum

At the foot of Vesuvius, amidst the sprawling, less-than-picturesque modern urban sprawl of Naples’ outskirts, lie the excavations of ancient Herculaneum. Like Pompeii, the city was also destroyed during the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 BC, but it was buried not by ash, but by mud. As a result, the remains of organic materials such as wood and foodstuffs have been better preserved, providing crucial insights into Roman daily life at that time.

Nevertheless, the excavations were far less busy than the world-famous Pompeii digs, which allowed for a relaxed exploration of the houses and palaces; the children, in particular, could run free and roam through the ruins. Some of the frescoes and mosaics are better preserved than in Pompeii. Typical examples of the artistry of the time include a beautiful mosaic of Neptune and Aphrodite in the Casa di Nettuno ed Anfritite, named after them, and the frescoes in the Collegium of the Augustales, including the glorification of Heracles.