Rare fresco discovered in Pompeii shows type of woman who 'breaks free from male order to dance freely, go hunting and eat raw meat in the mountains'

View from above of a newly excavated room at Pompeii; there are columns close to the interior walls, which are painted red with images of people and mythical beings. Vesuvius rises in the background.

Archaeologists at Pompeii have discovered an enormous, extremely rare wall painting depicting an ancient mystery cult, at the center of which is a woman being initiated under the cover of night. The find was announced by the Pompeii Archaeological Park on Wednesday (Feb. 26) as they revealed the newly excavated House of Thiasus.

The wall painting, which is nearly life-size, runs the length of three walls along a large banquet hall, while the fourth wall opens onto a garden. Against a bright red background, there are numerous figures of maenads — female followers of Dionysus, the god of wine — who are depicted as hunters, carrying swords in their hands and slaughtered goats on their shoulders. The fresco also depicts young satyrs, part-goat and part-human creatures, playing the flute and performing a sacrifice of wine.