Works of art inspired by ancient Greek sculpture often took on new forms and meanings in the Roman home. In Greece, monumental statues of gods and goddesses were placed in sanctuaries and public spaces, but in villas and houses around the Bay of Naples, formerly public art became private and, often, decorative and functional pieces. For example, a sculpture of Apollo, the god of learning and music, was made to hold a tray and placed in a Pompeian home. Smaller sculptures and figurines of gods and heroes adorned tables, and wellknown scenes from Greek mythology were used to ornament drinking cups and bowls. Roman patrons imported valuable and exotic materials to be carved into.
