Archaeologists have unearthed a stunning painting, 2,000 years after it was buried under volcanic material in the ancient Roman city of Pompeii.

The lavish artwork was found in the House of Leda, which is well known for its intricate wall paintings.

It depicts Phrixus and Helle, two twins from Greek mythology, as they travel across the sea on a magical ram while fleeing from their evil stepmother.

In the scene, Helle is reaching up towards Phrixus after falling off the ram, shortly before drowning in the strait between Europe and Asia.

Pompeii was famously destroyed in AD 79 by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, but excavations are still yielding ancient discoveries.

The new artwork was revealed by Pompeii Archaeological Park, the government-backed body that oversees the remains of the former city and ongoing excavations.

The astonishing piece is a ‘fresco’, a type of wall painting, but damage to the wall has meant it is not entirely preserved.

The top right of the artwork is lost and there are two prominent cracks towards the centre.

But what is there is in a remarkable condition considering it is around 2,000 years old, with vibrant colour and intricate brushwork.

Dr Sophie Hay, a British archaeologist who works at the Archaeological Park of Pompeii, called it a ‘magical’ discovery.

‘Witnessing the vibrant colours of freshly uncovered frescoes at Pompeii is a privilege and joy that never fades,’ she said.

‘Seeing the latest discovery of a mythological scene – Phrixus seated on a ram while his sister Helle drowns – in the context of the room it decorated is no exception.’

In Greek legend, the two siblings are forced to flee because their stepmother, Ino, wants to get rid of them.

Mount Vesuvius erupted in the year AD 79, burying the cities of Pompeii, Oplontis, and Stabiae under ashes and rock fragments, and the city of Herculaneum under a mudflow

He said that a column of smoke ‘like an umbrella pine’ rose from the volcano and made the towns around it as black as night.

People ran for their lives with torches, screaming and some wept as rain of ash and pumice fell for several hours.  

While the eruption lasted for around 24 hours, the first pyroclastic surges began at midnight, causing the volcano’s column to collapse.

An avalanche of H๏τ ash, rock and poisonous gas rushed down the side of the volcano at 124mph (199kph), burying victims and remnants of everyday life.  

Hundreds of refugees sheltering in the vaulted arcades at the seaside in Herculaneum, clutching their jewelry and money, were killed instantly.

The Orto dei fuggiaschi (The garden of the Fugitives) shows the 13 bodies of victims who were buried by the ashes as they attempted to flee Pompeii during the 79 AD eruption of the Vesuvius volcano

As people fled Pompeii or hid in their homes, their bodies were covered by blankets of the surge.

While Pliny did not estimate how many people died, the event was said to be ‘exceptional’ and the number of deaths is thought to exceed 10,000.

What have they found?

This event ended the life of the cities but at the same time preserved them until rediscovery by archaeologists nearly 1700 years later.

The excavation of Pompeii, the industrial hub of the region and Herculaneum, a small beach resort, has given unparalleled insight into Roman life.

Archaeologists are continually uncovering more from the ash-covered city.

In May archaeologists uncovered an alleyway of grand houses, with balconies left mostly intact and still in their original hues.