Several gods and goddesses possessed cults in which the worshippers had to be initiated and formed communities closed to people not religiously involved. This does not mean that all of them were strictly secret, as has often been argued, but that people had to be physically or psychologically separated from the rest of the community. The sanctuaries of Isis and Mithras are relevant to this study because many shrines were decorated with paintings. While there are not many temples of Isis with painted decoration, her temple in Pompeii offers an excellent example which deserves a lengthy discussion. Mithras’ artificial grottoes (spelaea) have been studied in many good contributions but also need to be discussed within the framework of this book. Concerning the cults of Demeter and Dionysos, I cannot identify any relevant building which contains paintings. The chapter will conclude with a short section on various other non-Roman shrines.

SHRINES FOR ISIS

In the Greco-Roman world Isis was venerated as a syncretic deity with Egyptian roots and Hellenistic Greek flavours. Her shrines could be found everywhere in the ancient world and would have been the symbol of Egypt for many inhabitants. Unfortunately, the murals in her temple in Pompeii are the only well-known examples. Removed from the walls and now housed in the Naples Museum, they are well-preserved and appear to be representative of images from the Egyptian realm.

THE TEMPLE OF ISIS IN POMPEII

It is obvious that the paintings in the Temple of Isis can be connected with Egypt, but that does not mean that a detailed analysis cannot bring new insights to the interpretation of the various elements. Whoever visits the ruins nowadays (figs. 74-75) can scarcely imagine the great admiration and bewilderment when the complex was discovered in December 1764. It was gradually excavated until 1766 and thus widely known in travelogues and scientific reports. The extremely rich finds were immediately brought to the museum in the King's palace in Portici. The excavators quickly decided to remove the paintings from the walls as they were deteriorating rapidly and were in danger of being lost.