The news has been going around that archaeologists have freshly discovered colorful artwork from ancient Roman Pompeii. There is still much more work to be done in the preserved cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, thanks to the tragic eruption of nearby Mt. Vesuvius.
It is a rare gift to have art in color from Antiquity. Time and erosion turns everything black and brown, or white (whatever the base material color is). This kind of material is a goldmine for historians, because it helps us understand little things like furniture, posture, clothing (and clothing colors), jewelry, musical instruments, cultural dynamics, etiquette, how household rooms were used, decorations, and more. Watch this video which helps us understand why the walls of this room are black and how the houseowners even tried to create optical illusions. Fascinating!
[BTW:I used art like this as inspiration and information for my Strange Encounter series!]