Haunting Symbolism Behind a Death Mosaic Found at Pompeii

“Memento mori” is a Latin phrase used by many over the centuries to remind people to enjoy their lives and make good choices, for tomorrow is never guaranteed. Another interpretation is that we all die, therefore we all share similar struggles. The two words together translate to “remember that you have to die”. The imagery around this concept can be varied, but often includes skulls, bones, or the specters of death. One common way to depict this is with happy skeletons doing ordinary human things, not unlike Day of the Dead imagery. Some mosaics from Pompeii, a city doomed to obliteration by a nearby volcano, embraced this type of imagery, reminding residents of their impending mortality in an eerie twist on a tragic historical event.

The first mosaic is a haunting piece of artwork given that the entire city was buried in hot ash from the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. The high temperatures of the debris from the eruption spared no one and the preserved remains of those trying to hide or flee convey grim witness to us even in modern times.

The mosaic was found in the 19th century, but dates back to about 40-60 AD. Though small, the symbols depicted are weighted with centuries of wisdom. Let’s examine what these ancient images would have meant to someone viewing it in the time just before Pompeii was destroyed.

At the top of the mosaic is a libella, a leveling tool of the ancient world. The A-frame is used to support a string with a small weight or plummet on it. As it swings the builder or maker can assess whether his work is plumb or not. The libella would have been particularly useful in building long things like aqueducts since the nature of the instrument can follow the curve of the earth – unlike some of our modern equipment.

This symbol in the mosaic can be seen as a literal leveling of all men, via death, represented by the skull that sits just under the pendulum (what we would call today a plumb bob).

The skull strangely has ears, perhaps to make it more human-like. In nearby Naples lies the baroque Church of Santa Luciella, which contains a skull relic with ears behind glass. People came to pray to the skull as its ears were thought to listen to one’s prayers. It’s unknown if the skull in this mosaic was thought to be “listening” to the people of Pompeii in the same way, perhaps committing their hopes to some eternal ledger.

On the left side is a fine bundle of cloth wrapped to an ornate spear and on the other side is a bundle of tattered cloth tied to a rustic walking stick. The message is that in the end it won’t matter if you are rich or poor because death is the great equalizer. In the center is the wheel of fortune, the fate that becomes reality for every person. On top of the wheel is a butterfly, a symbol of the soul. It flies away when the wheel stops and death comes.

This mosaic is small compared to others as it was the surface decoration for a dining table. So, even while they ate Pompeiians were contemplating the finite quality of life. There are other memento mori mosaics at Pompeii as well, showing it was not an uncommon decor theme in many homes.

The skeleton below was taken from the Faun House, one of the most famous buildings of Pompeii. For all the reminders of death, we have to wonder if any of the citizens of Pompeii predicted how short Mount Vesuvius would cut their lives.

These murals and buildings were preserved under layers of volcanic ash, with colors and patterns intact for us to view today. Since the 18th century excavations of Pompeii and nearby cities has uncovered a variety of homes, stables, official buildings, and many mosaics. It was the style in this well-to-do area to decorate with these costly artworks. The mosaics could represent the functions of rooms, philosophical ideas, or even literal depictions, such as the chicken mosaics on a Pompeii snack bar!