Arianna Sacco was born and raised in Naples, Southern Italy. She is an Egyptologist with a BA (2007) and an MA (2009) in Archaeology, with a specialized curriculum for Egypt, from L’Orientale University in Naples. She has a second MA (2012) in Interdisciplinary Approaches to History, Archaeology and Social Anthropology from the University of Thessaly in Volos (Greece). She’s currently working on her PhD at Leiden University in the Netherlands, where she deals with the material culture of the Second Intermediate Period.
West pediment of the Temple of Aphaia
This picture, taken at the Munich Glyptothek, depicts the sculptures taken from the west pediment of the Temple of Aphaia on Aigina. It depicts a scene from the Trojan War familiar from Homer. The style of the sculpture here is “Archaic”, and on this basis it has been argued that the west pediment is older than the one on the eastern (front) side.
An Egyptian Game of Thrones?
The Second Intermediate Period
Ancient Egypt had periods of political instability, in which different factions vied for control, not unlike the drama seen in Game of Thrones.
The park of Virgil’s tomb
Monument to a famous Roman poet
The tomb of the Roman poet Virgil (70–19 BC) is located in Naples. Today, the tomb forms the centre of a park created in Virgil’s honour.
The tomb of Paraherwenemef (QV42)
An in-depth look at the tomb of prince Paraherwenemef, a son of Ramesses III, in the Valley of the Queens.
Villa of Poppaea in Oplontis
An archaeological site in Campania
Located not far from Naples are the impressive remains of the villa that once belonged to Nero’s wife, Poppaea Sabina.
Statues of the Collezione Farnese
A quick look at a number of ancient, marble statues belonging to a collection once owned by Elisabetta Farnese.