The erotic frescoes of the brothel of Pompeii from the Secret Cabinet of the Archaeological Museum of Naples in Italy

In Pompeii, it is possible to visit one of the brothels, one of the establishments of pleasure frequented by inhabitants and passing travellers.

To date, more than sixty public and private brothels have been discovered in Pompeii.

On the ground floor of the house is a long L-shaped corridor connecting the two entrances to the brothel.

Scene depicting sexual intercourse involving sodomy, Pompeii, brothel, Archaeological Museum of Naples

Erotic scene involving sodomy On each side of this corridor are small alcoves.

In each of these, a masonry bed occupies the back or one side of the alcove. These beds are 80 centimetres above the floor.

Each of these beds has a cement bolster at the head of the bed.

It was in these recesses that the courtesans of Pompeii satisfied their clients.

Frescoes adorned the walls, depicting erotic scenes in which gentlemen and ladies engaged in copulation in various positions.

The frescoes depicted in these erotic scenes also served to indicate the speciality of each of these ladies.

It is important to note that, with one exception, all of these scenes are heterosexual.

In fact, one of the frescoes discovered clearly shows that sodomy was also tolerated by these women of easy virtue.

Graffiti bearing the names of these ladies and their rates were also discovered.

All of the frescoes shown on this page were discovered in the brothel in Pompeii, which can be visited, but the ladies are no longer there!

Scene depicting a sexual act, Pompeii, brothel, Archaeological Museum of Naples

Erotic scene with sexual act

Graffiti depicting a sexual act, Pompeii, brothel, Archaeological Museum of Naples

Erotic graffiti