Villa Mystery ( Italian: Villa dei Misteri ) is one of the Pompeian villas (outside the city gates), best preserved during the eruption of Vesuvius in 79
| Sight | |
| Villa Mystery | |
|---|---|
| A country | |
| Location | |
| Established | OK. II-I c. BC e. |
Content
Description
It was founded in the 2nd century BC. e., after which it expanded several times, in particular in 60 BC. e. The main entrance was facing the road leading from the gate of Herculaneus. Currently, it is not fully disclosed, so the entrance to the villa is from the sea. Along the road were agricultural premises, including a room with a grape press .
The entrance, so wide that a wagon could drive through it, led to the peristyle . To the southeast of it was a courtyard with a lararium and a tetrastyl atrium , from which one could get into the baths . The Tuscan atrium was connected to the peristyle from the southwestern side, from it, and also partially from the peristyle, the doors led to numerous rooms decorated with frescoes in the second and third styles. The villa opened to the sea with a terrace - a rotunda with two porticoes on the sides. On the flat roof of the arcade that surrounded the villa from three sides, the remains of the Hanging Garden were discovered.
In the tablinum connecting the Tuscan atrium with the rotunda, frescoes on Egyptian motifs are preserved. The villa was named after the frescoes that became widely known in one of the rooms south of the atrium, where, according to the most common version, the consecration to the Dionysian mysteries is depicted, and according to another, the wedding rite.
Murals of Mystery Villas
The frescoes have many interpretations, since written sources on the basis of which they could be interpreted have not been preserved [1] . Obviously, the image is closely connected with the Dionysian Mysteries. They depict the woman's initiation into the secrets of a certain cult, perhaps this was preceded by her entering into a legal marriage. Perhaps the room was used for similar ceremonies.
| North wall | |||||
| Beginning of the ceremony: 1st figure: the initiated woman (or her mother, the Roman matron) crosses the threshold. 2nd figure: the boy’s nudity can mean his divinity. He is reading something, perhaps the rules of the rite. 3rd figure: seated woman, judge (?). She holds a scroll and a stylus, possibly to add something, for example, the name of the initiate. 4th figure: possibly disguised as initiated. She carries a ritual dish. On her head is a myrtle wreath, and in her hand is a laurel branch, she is wearing purple clothes. | 1st figure: a servant who holds a covered basket. 2nd figure: the priestess sits with her back, she opens the basket (in which, presumably, laurel, snakes, flowers, etc.) 3rd figure: another servant pours water into a basin where the priestess is about to dip the laurel branch. 4th figure: the god Silenus plays the lyre. | 1st figure: a young satyr plays the flute. 2nd figure: another satyr (or a nymph, but with sharp ears) feeds the goats. 3rd figure: perhaps this is the initiate who saw something and was frightened. Perhaps there was a katabasis . | |||
| East wall | |||||
| 1st figure: Silenus reappears. He holds in his hands a silver bowl 2nd figure: a young satyr peering into the bowl. Perhaps this is a fortune-telling by what you see in the reflection. The bowl may have contained Kykeon, the intoxicating drink of the Orthian-Dionysian Mysteries, intended for the frightened initiate. 3rd figure: another satyr who holds a theatrical mask, perhaps so that it is reflected in the bowl. | Central, most important fresco in the room.
2nd figure: a damaged woman - his mother Semela or wife Ariadne . She sits on the throne, and in position, as the Supreme Mother Queen, above Dionysus. | 1st figure: a initiate is kneeling. She has a traveler’s staff and a headband. She returned from a night journey of initiation, and what was happening there is not shown to us. She reaches for a sacred object covered with a cloth, possibly a phallus. 2nd and 3rd figures: damaged, behind the kneeling initiate. Left woman holds a dish over her head. 4th figure: a winged deity, possibly Aidos (goddess of shame, respect, modesty, humility). She waves her whip. | |||
| South wall | Window | ||||
| 1st figure: the initiate, who was beaten with a whip. The two themes of this scene are torture and transformation, leading to a climax. 2nd figure: provides her with medical care 3rd figure: a peeking woman is about to give the initiate a thyrsus, which marks the end of the rite 4th figure: dancing nude with cymbals, probably a maenad | 1st figure: Eros , who holds a mirror. 2nd figure: maid 3rd figure: is it a consecrated, reborn, or just a bride. She prepares for marriage and looks in the mirror. | ||||
| Western wall | a door | ||||
| Eros | Female figure: mother of the bride, bride or mistress of the house. She has a ring on her finger. | ||||
Movies
- “Secret ceremonies. Mural of the Villa Mysteries ”, film by from the series“ Palettes ”(France, 2002).
See also
- Papyrus Villa
- Villa Adriana
Notes
- ↑ Villa of the Mysteries . www.art-and-archaeology.com. Date of treatment January 12, 2019.
Literature
- Claudia Converto. Campania, civilization and art. - Milan: Kina Italia.
- Krasnova O. B. Encyclopedia of the art of the Ancient World. - M. , 2002. - S. 265. - 351 p. - ISBN 5948490629 .