Villa of the Mysteries

The Villa of the Mysteries is a well-preserved suburban ancient Roman villa on the outskirts of Pompeii, southern Italy, built in the 2nd century BC [1]. It is famous for the series of exquisite frescos in Room 5, which are usually interpreted as showing the initiation of a bride into a Greco-Roman mystery cult [1]. These paintings are now among the best known of the relatively rare survivals of Ancient Roman painting from the 1st century BC [1].