Two Lifesize Sculptures discovered in Pompeii

This discovery took place during an excavation in the Porta Sarno necropolis, located in the ancient city of Pompeii, as part of the research project Investigating the Archaeology of Death in Pompeii, by the Universitat de València in close collaboration with the Pompeii Archaeological Park.

The project is led by Professor Llorenç Alapont, who has emphasized the significance of the discovery in understanding funerary practices and the social identity of the deceased in the city buried by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD.

The high-relief figures have been transferred to the Palaestra Grande, within the archaeological site, where they will undergo a restoration process. These sculptures will be among the highlights of the exhibition Being a Woman in Ancient Pompeii, scheduled to open on April 16, 2025. 

Detail of the high relief. Credit: Alfio Giannotti / Parco archeologico di Pompei

The site had already been the subject of archaeological excavations in the 1990s, when work was carried out to install a second track on the Circumvesuviana railway line. During an excavation campaign in 1998, archaeologists documented the presence of more than 50 cremation burials, marked with stelae and monumental funerary structures, including a large funerary arch.

Recent investigations have led to the identification of a monumental tomb consisting of a large wall with several niches. At the top of the wall, the relief depicting a man and a woman is sculpted, suggesting that they may have been a couple with a strong social presence in Pompeian society of the time.

One of the most intriguing aspects of the discovery is the symbolism of the sculpted elements accompanying the female figure. These details suggest that the woman may have been a priestess of the goddess Ceres, indicating her involvement in the city’s religious sphere.

Detail of the female figure. Credit: Alfio Giannotti / Parco archeologico di Pompei

The artistic quality of the relief and its stylistic features place it chronologically in the late Republican period, a key moment in Roman history when local elites reinforced their identity through imposing funerary monuments.

The director of the Pompeii Archaeological Park, Gabriel Zuchtriegel, has highlighted that this project represents a valuable opportunity to expand knowledge about life in the city’s extramural areas.