Archaeologists discovered in Pompeii a long stone bench at the entrance to the Villa of Mysteries – one of the most famous houses of the ancient city, reports Smithsonian Museum. As it turned out, this was not a place to relax, but a kind of waiting areawhere they waited in line to get to the rich owner of the villa – to ask for help, work or advice.

The excavations are led by Gabriel Zuchtriegel, director of the Archaeological Park of Pompeii. He said the find shows that life outside the house’s door was no less important than the scenes depicted in the famous frescoes inside.

Proof of power

Morning visits, or greetingwere a common part of Roman life: people came to their patron to show respect, receive material or political support. The crowd at the door meant the influence of the owner, and therefore his power in society.

The bench located opposite the front entrance was made of waterproof mortar the work of signs – a durable material that the Romans used in baths. Beneath it was a vaulted cistern that supplied the house and street with water.

Archaeologists found graffiti near the benchleft by waiting people – names, dates and short notes.

“People spent hours here, not knowing if the owner would accept them. Sometimes, to pass the time, they simply wrote their name on the wall,” Zuchtriegel said.

Everyday life and shadows of slavery

In addition, in the new excavation sector, researchers identified rooms decorated in third Pompeian style – with subtle architectural patterns and bright colors, as well as places where slaves and staff lived. These spaces were sealed with a layer of pumice and ash during eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD.which made it possible to preserve them in a unique integrity.

The bench at the villa is a simple detail, but it reveals the complex social relationships of ancient Rome. Here, “at the front door,” the elite and the people met. The people who sat on the threshold were outside the painted halls, but they were the ones who maintained the Roman patronage system, in which personal loyalty translated into political influence.

According to Zuchtriegel, the new discovery allows one to “see Pompeii not only through the eyes of the elite, but also through the eyes of those who waited at its doors.”

Work on the villa continues: archaeologists are exploring the slave quarters and restoring the layout of the plumbing and drainage systems.