Pompeii’s "Black Room" Art

The ruins of Pompeii continue to offer an unparalleled glimpse into Roman life, and a recent discovery in the city’s Regio IX district has captivated the archaeological world. Archaeologists have unearthed a stunning banquet hall featuring walls painted a deep, elegant black. Known as the “Black Room,” this space is decorated with remarkably preserved frescoes depicting central figures from the Trojan War. These artworks provide new insights into how wealthy Romans dined, socialized, and engaged with mythology.

The Discovery in Region IX

The excavation took place in a block of the city known as Regio IX, Insula 10. This area has been a focal point for recent archaeological work aimed at stabilizing the perimeter between the excavated and unexcavated areas of the ancient city. The “Black Room” was found within a large private residence that was seemingly undergoing renovations at the time of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.

The room served as a banqueting hall. Its most striking feature is the color of the walls. They are painted in a solid, high-sheen black. According to Gabriel Zuchtriegel, the director of the Archaeological Park of Pompeii, this design choice was entirely practical. Roman dining often happened after sunset. The oil lamps used for lighting produced significant amounts of smoke and soot. The black walls effectively masked the stains from the lamps, maintaining the room’s elegant appearance even during long, smoky dinners.

Contrasting the dark walls is a floor composed of a near-complete white mosaic. This creates a monochromatic backdrop that allows the vibrant colors of the frescoes to stand out intensely.

Masterpieces of the Trojan War

The frescoes found on the walls are considered some of the finest examples of the “Third Style” of Pompeii wall painting. This style is known for its delicate execution and focus on mythological subjects. The paintings in the Black Room focus specifically on the Trojan War and the heavy themes of fate and divinity.

Two major scenes have been identified and analyzed by experts:

• Helen and Paris: One fresco depicts the fateful meeting between Helen of Troy and Paris, the prince of Troy. In the painting, Paris is identified by his other name, “Alexandros.” This scene captures the moments leading up to Helen’s departure for Troy, the event that triggered the decade-long Trojan War. The artwork is nuanced, leaving it ambiguous whether Helen is being abducted or if she is leaving willingly—a common topic of debate in the ancient world.
• Cassandra and Apollo: The second major fresco features the god Apollo and the Trojan priestess Cassandra. In Greek mythology, Apollo granted Cassandra the gift of prophecy to win her love. When she rejected his advances, he cursed her so that she would speak true prophecies but no one would ever believe her. The painting captures the tension of this rejection and the tragic destiny that followed.

The Function of Art in Roman Dining

These paintings were not merely decorative wallpaper. In Roman society, the dining room (triclinium) was a theater for social interaction. The choice of subject matter in the Black Room suggests that the homeowner wanted to spark intellectual conversation among guests.

Director Zuchtriegel has noted that these mythological scenes were intended to facilitate discussions about life, fate, and human nature. As guests reclined on couches and dined by the flickering light of oil lamps, the images on the walls would appear to move. The figures of Helen and Cassandra would prompt questions: Do we control our own destiny? Is love a blessing or a curse?

The setting created an immersive experience. The shimmering light against the black walls, combined with the tragic stories of the Trojan figures, created an atmosphere of sophistication and philosophical reflection. This reveals that the owners were likely wealthy, educated, and eager to display their cultural knowledge.

Context: A House Under Construction

The residence containing the Black Room offers a freeze-frame of a city in transition. Archaeologists found evidence that the house was being renovated when the volcano erupted. Stacks of roof tiles were found neatly piled, and pots of lime mortar were left near the walls, waiting to be used.

Interestingly, this luxurious home was connected to a commercial sector. The excavation of Insula 10 also revealed a wholesale bakery and a laundry nearby. This mixture of high-end residential living and commercial industry was common in Pompeii. It suggests the owner of the house may have been a wealthy merchant or politician whose income was derived from these adjacent businesses.

This specific excavation is part of a broader project funded by the European Union to secure the slopes of the unexcavated earth, which press against the exposed ruins. By clearing the debris and reinforcing the edges, archaeologists are inadvertently uncovering new treasures like the Black Room.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where exactly is the Black Room located? The Black Room is located in Regio IX, Insula 10 of the Pompeii archaeological site. This is a central district of the ancient city that is currently the focus of new excavation efforts.

Can tourists visit the Black Room? As of mid-2024, the Black Room is part of an active archaeological site. While Pompeii is open to the public, specific newly excavated areas often remain closed for stabilization and conservation work before they are made safe for general tourism.

Why were the walls painted black? The black paint served a functional purpose. It was designed to hide the soot and smoke marks created by the oil lamps used during evening banquets. It also provided a dramatic, high-contrast background for the colorful frescoes.

Who is the woman in the painting rejecting the god Apollo? The woman is Cassandra, the daughter of King Priam of Troy. The fresco depicts the moment she rejects Apollo, leading to the curse that rendered her true prophecies unbelievable to her people.