Return To The Vatican Museum, 2019

Vicki wanted to see the Vatican Museum one more time so we conjoined that with my desire to see the Pantheon one more time and made a long day of it. I'd like to say we have been to the Vatican Museum so many times we now practically known our way around. But it's so huge and labyrinthine we accidentally found some sections we hadn't seen since our first visit, way back in 1979 (AD). If you want to see my pix of the Museum's principal collection items, use the search box to the right, entering "Vatican Museum," or just click here for a recent list of my 2011, 2013, and 2017 Vatican Museum posts. For the present post, I'll just picture some things we found amusing, hoping not to duplicate previous entries.

We're in the "Profane" part of the museum--not what you're thinking--this is some
sub-flooring from St. John Lateran, the original and still seat of the Bishop of
Rome; on the flip side, as you can see below, is some pretty nice Roman ceiling
carving

Thus; coffered

Fragment from a much larger banquet floor; beautiful tiny mosaic depicting the
remains of the night before; note mouse munching on walnut

Winner of the 129 AD (CE) wet toga competition

Another of many incredible and incredibly intact mosaics at the Vatican Museum

"And I promise I won't gouge you with my hoofs, honey"

"Hmmm, not so sure about that..."

Ever more mosaics, many reconstructed, from the Baths of Caraculla

Now in the early Christian museum, a sarcophagus depicting the feeding of Jonas
to the whale

More early Christian

Originally, they were all painted pretty much like this

Now entering the Pina Colada, excuse me, the Pinoteca,
one of Flori's angelic musicians, a family favorite (15th)

"I can't give you anything but love, baby," the zebra is desperately singing; click
here for insight

Personal devotional type thing

Detail; exquisitely miniature

Diocletian; we saw his retirement villa in Croatia last summer

The Romans, but not the Catholics, were really big into river gods; here's the Nile

Creepy department: Vicki said this reminded her of the Haunted Mansion

View from the map hall

In the map hall, detail depiction of a galley plying the Mediterranean to bring an
Egyptian obelisk to Rome; personal favorite

"Here's looking at you, kid"; her eyes follow you all around
the room; his don't

Vatican gardens; next time maybe