The mythological figures inspired by Homer's epic the Iliad have been found in all their former glory on the elegant black-painted walls of an imposing banqueting hall. "Pompeii is truly a treasure trove that never stops surprising and prompting amazement because, each time we dig, we find something beautiful and significant," says Culture Minister Gennaro Sanguliano.
The ancient Roman city was buried and preserved by Vesuvius in 79 AD. It is located in the insula10 of the Regio IX in the Roman city of Pompeii, in the north of the island of Sicily, in what is now the island province of Lampedusa. The discovery is the latest sensational discovery in fresh digs at Pompeii in the past few months. The find is expected to be announced later this week by the Italian Ministry of Culture and the Italian Museum of Fine Arts, which is based in the Italian city of Palermo, in Sicily, and the Museum of Natural History, in Rome, in Italy.