A well-preserved fresco depicting an erotic scene from the Greek myth Leda and the Swan has been unveiled to the public for the first time in the ancient Roman city of Pompeii.
The fresco of the figure of Leda being impregnated by Zeus, disguised as a swan, was found last year during excavations of an area of the archaeological park that has already yielded several surprises.
Archaeologists believe the house belonged to a rich merchant who wanted to reflect his high level of culture by adorning his home with myth-inspired frescoes.
The image was fairly common in homes in Pompeii and the nearby Herculaneum, which were both destroyed when Mount Vesuvius erupted in AD79.
Leda is an important figure in Greek mythology. She was said to have borne children fathered by Zeus and by a mortal king of Sparta. According to myth, her children included the beautiful Helen of Troy and the twins Castor and Pollux.
