A team of archaeologists has uncovered a stunning chamber tomb near Naples, Italy, that features vivid frescoes of mythological scenes. The tomb was found during a survey of the land before upgrading the city’s water supply system. It was hidden under a tuff slab that sealed the entrance. Preliminary assessments suggest that the tomb dates back approximately 2,000 years to the Republican and Imperial Roman ages.
The walls of the chamber are decorated with colorful paintings that depict various figures from Greek mythology, such as ichthyocentaurs, half-human and half-fish creatures, and Cerberus, the three-headed dog that guarded the Underworld. Cerberus, also known as the “hound of Hades,” famously guarded the gates of the Underworld to prevent the souls of the departed from escaping.
The most striking fresco shows the final task of Heracles, the legendary hero who had to capture Cerberus and bring him to the surface. The tomb has been named after this scene as the “Tomb of Cerberus.”
According to a press announcement by the Superintendent Of Archaeology, Fine Arts And Landscape For The Naples Metropolitan Area: “The tomb has frescoed ceilings and walls in perfect condition, with mythological scenes that go all around the room and figurative representations among which, a three-headed dog stands out. Three painted klìnai , an altar with vessels for libations, the deceased still placed on the funeral beds with rich objects – complete the picture of a discovery which, in this area, is unprecedented.”
The discovery of the tomb was a thrilling moment for the archaeologists and the workers who participated in the survey. Valentina Russo, one of the archaeologists, said: “The excitement was enormous … the screams, the hugs, us, the workers, finding something like this doesn’t happen every day.”
The excavation of the tomb is still ongoing, and the archaeologists hope to learn more about the necropolis that surrounds it and the people who were buried there.
