Fresco is a technique of mural painting executed upon freshly laid or wet lime plaster. From prehistory to the current days, artistic developments reflect the societies in which they occur and their geographic locations. The history of fresco painting is closely related to, and a reflection of, the history of art generally.
Roman frescoes, found in Ephesus and dating from the first century AD, include remarkably realistic scenes of homes, feasts, and gardens. The prosperity of Ephesus as an agricultural and trading center gave impetus and support to many art forms, and particularly to the fresco artists who depicted all aspects of the life and society of the times. The Terrace Houses of Ephesus had the wealthiest owners and they were surprisingly limited in size. However, the smallness of the rooms was disguised by the broadened horizons deriving from the fresco paintings.
The climate and environment of Ephesus have proved to be a problem for frescoes and other works of art in the city for centuries so the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism had to build Terrace Houses Roof at the Ephesus Ancient City.
