'Tomb of Cerberus' From 2,000 Years Ago Discovered in Italy Features Preserved Fresco of Greek Mythology Three-Headed Dog

Archaeologists have discovered a seal tomb that is roughly 2,000 years old. It features a wall painting of the three-headed Cerberus in Italy.

Tomb of Cerberus Found in Italy

The tomb was found in the suburb of Naples in Guigliano. The discovery was made during an archaeological survey conducted over farmland before starting the city's water system maintenance work. Several other burial sites were found in the region. These other burials date back to the Roman Republic era all the way to the Roman Imperial Age.

The sealed tomb contains several frescos in good condition over its walls and ceilings. The most notable one is that of the three-headed dog, referred to as Cerberus, that is believed to guard the underworld. Cerberus is also referred to as the "hound of Hades." Because of this fresco, the burial has been nicknamed "Tomb of Cerberus."

The depiction shows the most dangerous one of the Labors of Hercules. More specifically, it was when we went down to Hades, assisted by Mercury, to capture the Cerberus dog.

Other depictions include the ichthyocentaurs, which is a sea deity that is similar to a centaur as it has a human's upper body and anterior half, a horse's forelegs, and a fish's tail. This scene shows two of these creatures facing each other while holding a shield from ancient Greece and Rome. Each one had an erote, which is a Cupid-like winged baby that symbolized sexual desire and love, on top of their arms.

Excavations on the Burial Site

The tomb was found after archaeologists discovered a wall that was constructed using the opus incertum method, which is a construction technique used in ancient Rome.

Later on, it was discovered that this wall was actually the tomb's front. The tomb was initially sealed with a huge slab of tuff, which is a porous and light rock made of volcanic ash and sediments.

In order to enter the burial site, the archaeologists had to carefully take away the tiles that covered the opening of the ceiling. There they found the tomb with walls and ceilings filled with frescos in exceptional condition.

Further excavations on the area are being conducted in a way that ensures that the contents of the tomb are not damaged. The archaeologists also plan to look into the broader necropolis that engulfs the burial chamber.

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