During excavations of the massive necropolis at Port Sarno in the ancient Roman city of Pompeii, two nearly life-sized tomb statues of a man and a woman were discovered.
These posthumous sculptural representations from the late Roman Republic adorned a tomb featuring several burial niches. They are embedded in a broad wall of the necropolis, adjacent to one of the main entrance gates of the ancient city.
The find is shrouded in mystery. Experts are particularly puzzled about the identity of the female figure. According to the prevailing theory among researchers, she is likely an important local woman, possibly a priestess of Ceres—the goddess of agriculture, fertility, and motherhood in ancient Roman religion. Her status is indicated by the jewelry and accessories carved into the statue, including earrings, rings, and bracelets. Notably, she wears a lunula, a crescent-shaped pendant at the center of her necklace. The woman is dressed in a tunic and a long cloak, while the man is clad in a toga, as reported by The Guardian.
Gabriel Zuchtriegel, the director of the Archaeological Park of Pompeii, remarked, “Since she truly appears to be a very important woman from the local elite, it can be assumed that this lady might have been a priestess of Ceres, holding plants and something resembling a papyrus scroll.”
In the woman’s hands, she likely holds laurel leaves, which were used for purifying and blessing religious sites.
Most women in ancient Roman society served as homemakers. Thus, the high position of a priestess was the highest role a woman could aspire to, granting her power comparable to that of a male priest.
The next mystery concerns the living relationship between these two individuals. Were they a married couple? Experts are uncertain. According to Mr. Zuchtriegel, such dual burial sculptures do not always depict married pairs. “Sometimes you can see two men, and sometimes three. This could have been her husband, but it could also have been a son. There’s no inscription, so we can only speculate,” he added.
Near the male statue, archaeologists found a well-preserved root of an ancient tree that grew atop the tomb. “It was quite unexpected to find it there,” said Gabriel Zuchtriegel.
Both sculptures are currently undergoing restoration, after which they will be showcased in an upcoming exhibition in Pompeii.
The excavations at the Port Sarno necropolis are a joint project of the Archaeological Park of Pompeii and the European University of Valencia. In 2021, mummified remains of a former slave who rose through the social ranks were discovered here.
It’s worth remembering that Pompeii was destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.