Archaeologists in the ancient Roman city of Pompeii have uncovered a richly decorated but uncommonly small house with finely preserved frescoes of mythological scenes, the site has said.

The dwelling, called the House of Phaedra after the mythological queen of Athens who features in one of its wall paintings, sheds light on changing architectural styles in the first century AD, the Pompeii archaeological park said in a statement.

Unlike many of the houses excavated at the site, it was not built around the traditional Roman atrium, an open space with a pool for collecting rainwater.

The once-thriving city of Pompeii and the surrounding countryside in southern Italy was submerged by volcanic ash when Mount Vesuvius exploded in AD 79.

The eruption killed thousands of Romans who had no idea they were living in the shadow of one of Europe’s biggest volcanoes. It buried the city in a thick layer of ash, preserving many of its residents and buildings.

The building also boasts numerous smaller, but detailed and beautifully preserved patterns and scenes from nature. [Reuters]

Source: Ekathimerini.com