A visit to Herculaneum seemed to confirm that all was not lost in the modern world. There has been a big effort at Herculaneum to preserve and conserve what is there, much of it done by the Getty Institute. Here are a few shots of the fabulous Sacellum Augustus, a shrine to Caesar Augustus that maintains not only these beautiful frescoes, but also the charred remnants of the wooden beams that once supported the upper floors.
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| The central image of this panel represents Hercules with Juno and Minerva surrounded by a stage-like architectural setting |
Detail of a spiraling column with a Corinthian capital
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| Trompe l'oeil vista as seen through a break in the wall depicts a delicate architecture typical of the later styles (3rd and 4th) of wall painting. |
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| Charred remains of the wooden structure that supported the upper floor. The volcanic debris at Herculaneum had more water in it than at Pompeii, thus some of the organic matter (wood, food, etc,) was better preserved. |
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| Detail of a trompe l'oeil overhang with coffered underside |
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