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Pompeii's erotic lair reopens its doors
Pompeii's erotic lair reopens its doors
Rome
October 28, 2006
THE "wolves' lair" — ancient Pompeii's biggest, best-planned and most richly decorated brothel — has reopened to tourists after extensive restoration.
The two-storey building, built about the time Spartacus was leading his slaves' revolt, had been closed for almost a year. Its explicit wall paintings have long been a popular tourist attraction at the site of the classical world's best-preserved city.
The busy port of Pompeii was packed with bordellos. At least 25 have been identified. Archaeologists believe the "Lupanare" was the ancient city's only purpose-built whorehouse, so-called because, in Latin, lupa (she-wolf) was a common term for a prostitute. It consisted of 10 rooms and had a toilet beneath the stairs. Set into the wall of each of the women's rooms was a stone bed with a mattress.
Researchers believe the Lupanare's celebrated wall paintings, each depicting a different sexual position, were intended to advertise the various specialities on offer.
The more elaborately painted upper floor is thought to have been reserved for better-off clients. The prostitutes were slaves, usually of Greek or Eastern origin.
GUARDIAN
http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/pom
Rome
October 28, 2006
THE "wolves' lair" — ancient Pompeii's biggest, best-planned and most richly decorated brothel — has reopened to tourists after extensive restoration.
The two-storey building, built about the time Spartacus was leading his slaves' revolt, had been closed for almost a year. Its explicit wall paintings have long been a popular tourist attraction at the site of the classical world's best-preserved city.
The busy port of Pompeii was packed with bordellos. At least 25 have been identified. Archaeologists believe the "Lupanare" was the ancient city's only purpose-built whorehouse, so-called because, in Latin, lupa (she-wolf) was a common term for a prostitute. It consisted of 10 rooms and had a toilet beneath the stairs. Set into the wall of each of the women's rooms was a stone bed with a mattress.
Researchers believe the Lupanare's celebrated wall paintings, each depicting a different sexual position, were intended to advertise the various specialities on offer.
The more elaborately painted upper floor is thought to have been reserved for better-off clients. The prostitutes were slaves, usually of Greek or Eastern origin.
GUARDIAN
http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/pom