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The so-called “rectangular temple” in the Forum Boarium - near the church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin and the Bocca della Verita - has been closed for decades. A temple was first founded on the site in the 6th century BC, though the building we see today is a reconstruction of about 80 BC.

Dedicated to Portunus, a god of rivers and harbors, the temple and its tutelary diety presided over one of Rome’s early ports on the Tiber River. But the thousands of years since antiquity have been rough on this structure: in the Middle Ages it was transformed from a pagan temple to a church, its location near the river and alongside of a busy road means that it’s been constantly caked in layers of pigeon poop and smog, and then there’s the water leaks that threatened the medieval frescoes inside.

An effort to clean and consolidate the building was undertaken some six years ago, but there wasn’t enough money to finish the job - conservators were only able to clean part of the cornice with the funds provided. However, in 2007 the World Monuments Fund and provided the 72,000 of the 1,4000,000 euro necessary to give a face lift to this most majestic of temples. With those funds, the western side of the temple will be cleaned and perhaps part of the front. The World Monuments Fund has also offered to help the Soprintendenza di Archeologica to find other sponsors to provide the funds necessary to complete the work.

Here at the eCool compound, we love adoption programs that let the whole world enjoy and support Italian art, culture, and food. Last year we were enthusiastic promoters of the adopt-a-sheep, adopt-an-olive-tree, and adopt-a-vine programs, all efforts that support sustainable agriculture on the Italian peninsula while letting you enjoy the fruits of the harvest.

This year we’ve turned our minds toward ancient art and culture and we’re thrilled to discover the adopt-a-fresco program sponsored by the Restoring Ancient Stabiae Foundation, which lets you make a contribution that will preserve ancient paintings excavated from the the site of Stabiae, one of the many sites destroyed when the volcano Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD.

Just three miles from Pompeii, the Roman site of Stabiae was a summer resort for rich and powerful Romans. The luxurious villas built by such Romans were destroyed by the eruption of Vesuvius and were only rediscovered in the mid-18th century.

Among the many villas found at Stabiae, the most famous are Villa San Marco, Villa Del Pastore, and Villa Ariana. Though all provide valuable evidence about the ancient world, the star amongst them is the Villa San Marco, one of the largest villas ever discovered in Campania, which measures more than 11,000 square meters (see photos above and below). This villa has an atrium, a courtyard containing a pool, a triclinium with views of the Bay of Naples, a colonnaded courtyard, and a private bath complex.

Like other villas excavated in Stabiae, the Villa San Marco is important because it has provided us with beautiful frescoes, sculptures, mosaics, and architecture, which show styles and themes comparable to those found in Pompeii and Herculaneum.

Among the many goals of the Restoring Ancient Stabiae Foundation is that of restoring frescoes from Villa San Marco and other ancient luxury homes, for the site of Stabiae has yielded a wealth of beautiful artworks that are in need of care.  Thus, RAS has devised an adopt-a-fresco program in which your contribution provides for the complete restoration of a fresco to the highest possible level, as well as the stabilization of the fresco so that it is able to travel to exhibitions around the world.

Furthermore, you can choose the fresco you’d like to restore - prices range from a few thousand dollars to well over ten thousand dollars - so this makes a great gift!

ADOPTION BENEFITS AND REWARDS

• Mounted, high-resolution gift photograph of restored fresco, including plaque recognition of donor’s name

• Donor’s name featured in “Hall of Fame” plaque (featuring names of all major RAS donors and supporters) on display at the on-site Villa San Marco Visitor’s and Research Center (start of construction underway).

• Plaque with donor’s name attached to the back of restored original fresco, with recognition of donor’s name during traveling exhibit sponsored by RAS where the adopted restored fresco is on display. (Any museum reserves the right to revoke these benefits in the occasion that the restored fresco is present in a non RAS- sponsored event).

• Complimentary access and special tour of the Stabiae site, including Villa San Marco and Villa Arianna, with RAS professional staff

• Donation is tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law

For more information, visit the Restoring Ancient Stabiae adopt-a-fresco homepage (where you can download a catalog of frescoes in need).