Nearly a century after the excavations conducted by archaeologist Amedeo Maiuri, a portion of the Villa of the Mysteries in Pompeii—arguably the most famous building at the UNESCO site, located outside the ancient city walls toward Herculaneum—has yet to be explored. This was announced by Gabriel Zuchtriegel, director of the Archaeological Park of Pompeii, who posted a photoof the villa’s main entrance on his Instagram profile, announcing the resumption of research.
The Villa of the Mysteries is best known for its famous mystery frieze, while a new megalograph (a painting of subjects larger than life-size) featuring similar depictions has been discovered in the so-called House of the Thiasos, within the archaeological site. The first excavations of the villa date back to 1909–1910 and were conducted by private individuals, without adequate protection of the frescoes. Between 1929 and 1930, Superintendent Maiuri launched a systematic and scientific investigation, funded with the support of the Banco di Napoli.
However, Maiuri was unable to explore the entire structure: the northwestern section remained inaccessible because it was occupied by a house, which was later illegally expanded. The building, which had come to significantly detract from the site’s value, was demolished in 2023 as part of an agreement between the Torre Annunziata District Attorney’s Office and the Archaeological Park, aimed at combating the illicit trafficking of archaeological artifacts. Now, as Zuchtriegel announces, the Park intends to excavate the remaining part of the villa and make it accessible to the public.
“Here it is, the main entrance to the famous Villa of the Mysteries,” Zuchtriegel writes on his Instagram profile. “Nearly 100 years after A. Maiuri’s excavation, part of the complex still remains to be explored. But in 2023, the illegal structure that was blocking access was demolished… and so we’ve been able to pick up where we left off on this fascinating research! We’ll excavate the remaining part of the villa and make it accessible to the public.”
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| Villa of the Mysteries, Pompeii: Excavations Resume in the Unexplored Section |
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