Art on the Edge: The Late Roman Wall Painting of Amheida Egypt

Abstract

Since archaeological investigations at Amheida in the Dakhla Oasis began in 2001, the site has revealed many of the treasures of Roman Egypt. Particularly noteworthy is the number of painted plaster surfaces, an exceptional quantity of which are preserved. The site is thus also known as the "Pompeii of Egypt", an increasingly apt title given that during each campaign new painted rooms have been identified and added to the map by the project topographer. The subjects presented here are paintings from the so-called "House of Serenos", a late Roman house that was completely excavated between 2004 and 2007; the paintings are rich with motifs both decorative and mythological, significant not just in the context of 4th century Egypt, but in the Roman Empire broadly. These paintings are of great artistic and historical value: their study will further refine our knowledge of the culture of late antiquity within and without the Dakhla Oasis. (Translated from Italian)