Italian archaeologists uncover immaculate frescoes in the ‘Tomb of Cerberus’

Archaeologists working in Giugliano, Italy, have uncovered a Roman-era tomb with immaculately preserved frescoes, including one featuring the mythical three-headed guard dog Cerberus.

Cerberus, the guard of the underworld, is featured with Hercules, a reference to the heroic demigod’s 12th and final labor which involved capturing the hellhound. The Roman god Mercury, the guide of souls into the afterlife, is also featured.

Another fresco featured a pair of ichthyocentaurs, a mythical creature with the head, arms and torso of humans, the legs and partial body of a horse, and the back part of the body and tail of a fish. The Superintendency for Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape for the Naples Metropolitan Area posted a photo of them on Instagram Saturday.

In the same Instagram post, the archaeological officials said that the tomb showed signs of continuous use from the Roman Republic, more than 2,000 years ago, into the era of the Roman Empire, spanning four centuries.

In addition to the frescoes, three pieces of Roman lounging furniture, an altar with drinking vessels, the deceased and other rich burial objects were also found, according to Italian news site Quotidiano Nazionale.

“The emotion aroused by the privilege of such a discovery is indescribable,” Superintendent Mariano Nuzzo said in a statement, adding in comments to Italian newspaper La Stampa that “the territory of Giugliano, after years of oblivion, is finally returning significant vestiges of its glorious past, to be preserved and protected.”

Archaeologist Valentina Russo, who was part of the team that uncovered the since-named “Tomb of Cerberus,” told Euronews, “The excitement was enormous. … Finding something like this doesn’t happen every day.”