Ancient Pompeii site uncovers tiny house with exquisite frescoes

Archaeologists in the ancient Roman city of Pompeii have uncovered a richly decorated but uncommonly small house with finely preserved frescoes of mythological scenes, the site has said.

The dwelling, called the House of Phaedra after the mythological queen of Athens who features in one of its wall paintings, sheds light on changing architectural styles in the first century AD, the Pompeii archaeological park said in a statement.

Unlike many of the houses excavated at the site, it was not built around the traditional Roman atrium, an open space with a pool for collecting rainwater.

Despite its small size, the house "strikes us for the high level of its wall decorations," the statement said, noting they were of similar quality to much larger and more opulent homes near the new discovery, which lies in the center of the site.

The once-thriving city of...