Crossroads Roundup: Stunning Banquet Hall and Frescoes Found in Pompeii, a Sherlock Holmes Manuscript Heads to Auction, and More

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

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From left, Helen of Troy, a handmaiden and Paris. Via the Parco Archeologico di Pompei.

This past week, archaeologists announced the discovery of an extraordinary banquet hall in Pompeii.

Just a month ago, we learned about the discovery of a new fresco at the Archaeological Park of Pompeii depicting the Greek myth of Phrixus and Helle. I noted then that two-thirds of Pompeii have been excavated… which means that a third of the site is still ripe for discovery! As promised, here is an exciting new update:

On Thursday, archaeologists revealed that they had found a beautiful banquet hall during their ongoing excavations. The hall is decorated with frescoes, and some of the art survived the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Images include depictions of Helen of Troy and Paris (above), Leda and the Swan, and the Trojan priestess Cassandra, who was doomed by Apollo to speak true prophecies that no one believed (see below).