The frescos depict Greek mythology: Paris kidnaps Helen which triggers the Trojan War

Stunning artworks have been uncovered in a new excavation at Pompeii, the ancient Roman city buried in an eruption from Mount Vesuvius in AD79.

Archaeologists say the frescos are among the finest to be found in the ruins of the ancient site.

Mythical Greek figures such as Helen of Troy are depicted on the high black walls of a large banqueting hall.

The room’s near-complete mosaic floor incorporates more than a million individual white tiles.

The black room has only emerged in the last few weeks. Its white mosaic floor is almost complete

A third of the lost city has still to be cleared of volcanic debris. The current dig, the biggest in a generation, is underlining Pompeii’s position as the world’s premier window on the people and culture of the Roman empire.

Park director Dr Gabriel Zuchtriegel presented the “black room” exclusively to the BBC on Thursday.

It was likely the walls’ stark colour was chosen to hide the smoke deposits from lamps used during entertaining after sunset.

“In the shimmering light, the paintings would have almost come to life,” he said. […]

There are certainly more than a million tiles in the mosaic floor, possibly up to three million

More: Pompeii: Breathtaking new paintings found at ancient city