Key Takeaways
- The House of the Griffins, a well-preserved ancient Roman home, is opening to the public for the first time via a livestreamed tour of its underground frescoes and mosaics.
- The home, located on the Palatine Hill, features richly colored faux marble designs and floor mosaics of three-dimensional cubes.
- The livestreamed tours will be held weekly, with limited groups of 12 people, and require reservations and an additional ticket beyond the typical Colosseum-Palatine Hill entrance fee.
- The restoration of the House of the Griffins is part of an effort to spread tourists out beyond the must-see Colosseum and Forum, and to value the full territory of the park.
Introduction to the House of the Griffins
The House of the Griffins, one of the best-preserved ancient Roman homes on the Palatine Hill, is now open to the public for the first time, albeit via a livestreamed tour of its hard-to-reach underground frescoes and mosaics. The home was first discovered during excavations in the early 20th century, and its location on the Palatine Hill, a verdant hill that rises up from the Roman Forum, makes it a significant archaeological find. The hill, located just off the Colosseum, was known for its temples and homes of leading citizens during Rome’s Republican era, which is traditionally dated from 509 B.C. to 27 B.C.
History of the Palatine Hill
The Palatine Hill has a rich history, and its significance in ancient Rome cannot be overstated. During the Roman Empire, the hill became the aristocratic quarter, with new palaces built on top of the older homes. The House of the Griffins is one of those earlier Republican-era homes, and its discovery has provided valuable insights into the lives of the people who lived there. The home was hidden from the world underground after the Emperor Domitian built his palace on top of it in the first century A.D. Now, thanks to the livestreamed tour, the general public can virtually visit the House of the Griffins and its newly restored frescoes, including the decoration that gives the home its name: an arched lunette fresco featuring two griffins, half-eagle, half-lion mythological creatures.
The Livestreamed Tour
The livestreamed tour of the House of the Griffins serves multiple purposes. It allows visitors to "see" a domus that, because of its underground location, would otherwise be off-limits. The tour also protects the delicate frescoes from too much humidity and carbon dioxide, which could damage them. Visitors above ground will watch as a tour guide wearing a head-mounted smartphone descends into the domus and walks through its rooms, livestreaming the visit and narration. The tour will provide a unique and intimate look at the home, and its richly colored faux marble designs and floor mosaics of three-dimensional cubes.
Significance of the House of the Griffins
The House of the Griffins is significant not only because of its well-preserved state but also because of its location at the highest point of the Palatine Hill. According to project chief Federica Rinaldi, the home’s distribution over several levels, which take advantage of the slopes of the Palatine Hill itself, and its preservation make it a "textbook reference" for archaeologists. The home’s level of decoration, which recalls some of the elegant homes of the era in Pompeii, suggests that the family who lived there was well-off. The frescoes feature richly colored faux marble designs, and floor mosaics of three-dimensional cubes, which are a testament to the wealth and status of the family.
Restoration and Tourism
The restoration of the House of the Griffins is one of 10 projects funded by the European Union in the archaeological park, and it is part of an effort to spread tourists out beyond the must-see Colosseum and Forum, which often get overwhelmed with visitors. The head of the park, Simone Quilici, sees the livestreamed tour as a great opportunity to value the full territory of the park and to provide visitors with a unique and intimate look at the House of the Griffins. The tour will be held weekly, with one in Italian and one in English, and groups are limited to a dozen people, requiring reservations and an additional ticket beyond the typical Colosseum-Palatine Hill entrance fee.
Conclusion
The House of the Griffins is a significant archaeological find, and its livestreamed tour provides a unique opportunity for visitors to explore the home and its richly colored frescoes and mosaics. The tour is not only a great way to experience the home but also helps to protect the delicate frescoes from damage. The restoration of the House of the Griffins is part of a larger effort to promote tourism and to value the full territory of the park, and it is a testament to the importance of preserving our cultural heritage for future generations.