Crossroads Roundup: More Stunning Frescoes at Pompeii, Ancient Rock Art on the Orinoco River, and the Mysteries of "Seahenge"

Our favorite stories on art, archaeology, folklore, and more from this past week.

Welcome to the Crossroads Roundup! This is our weekly roundup of news related to history, art, archaeology, and anything else that our readers might enjoy. While many of our essays are free, the Crossroads Roundup is for paid subscribers only. If you haven’t already, you can sign up below to gain access to the full archive, the Patron Podcast, and the Crossroads Roundup:

Hello patrons! I apologize for the delay in sharing the Roundup with you all—I’m recovering from a bout of Covid, and the brain fog has only just lifted. However, I have a slate of essays lined up, so there shouldn’t be any disruptions moving forward. (Scroll down to the bottom to learn what this week’s essay will be about!)

And now, for the news:

This week, the Pompeii Archaeological Park announced the discovery of what is likely a shrine.

© Pompeii Archaeological Park

A sacrarium is a type of Roman shrine that was used for ritual activities. Researchers believe that the above room, recently excavated at the Pompeii Archaeological Park, could be a sacrarium. It features beautiful blue walls (uncommon for Pompeii’s frescoes), agricultural motifs, and female figures who may represent the four seasons.

Longtime patrons know that we’ve been following developments in Pompeii’s ongoing excavations. The sacrarium was discovered in Regio IX, once a residential area of central Pompeii that included over a thousand housing units.