I.12.5 Pompeii. Caupona all’Insegna di Africa o di Alessandria or Caupona of Lutatius.

Excavated 1914 and 1953 to 1955.

 

Street shrine or niche outside I.12.5 Pompeii. September 2005.

This is on Via dell’ Abbondanza, at the corner with Vicolo dei Fuggiaschi.

According to Della Corte, on the red pilaster which ended the insula on the east side, two electoral programmes were found.

The first – GAVIVM II VIR.

The second was immediately below the first  - AMPLIATUM  L F AED

                                                                                                                  VICINI                                                                                                          

                                                                                                             SVRGITE ET
                                                                                                             ROGATE

                                                                                                             LVTATI F[ac]    

The text was placed towards the right, because the pilaster was interrupted in the middle by a rectangular niche.

In the niche was fixed a coarse, rough stone resembling the outline of a human head, not the usual marble bust, as often seen here and there in the street.

See Notizie di Scavi, 1914, (p.204)

 

According to Epigraphik-Datenbank Clauss/Slaby (See www.manfredclauss.de), these are numbered CIL IV 7442 and CIL IV 7443.

 

I.12.5 Pompeii. December 2007. Entrance doorway.

According to Della Corte, on 3^rd April 1914, nearly at the height of the architrave, a cylindrical door bell (0.14 high) was found.

Near to this a bronze coin from the time of Tiberius was also found.

See Notizie di Scavi, 1914, (p.180)

 

I.12.5 Pompeii. December 2007. Counter.

 

I.12.5 Pompeii. December 2007.

Counter with remains of shelves for displaying drinking vessels.

 

I.12.5 Pompeii. December 2007. East wall.

 

I.12.5 Pompeii. December 2007. Counter and east wall.

 

I.12.5 Pompeii. December 2007. Looking south across atrium to corridor leading to garden.

According to Wallace-Hadrill, this property comprised a shop area with counter.

At the rear was a non-impluviate atrium, and three other rooms.

In the backyard were well constructed masonry stairs to the upper floor, and a large lined basin surrounded by low wall.

When he conducted his survey, there were faded style III and IV style decoration in three rooms.

See Wallace-Hadrill, A, (1994): House and Society in Pompeii and Herculaneum, UK, Princeton Univ. Press, (p.196)

 

I.12.5 Pompeii. September 2004. Looking south across atrium to corridor leading to garden.

 

I.12.5 Pompeii. December 2007. Looking south through corridor to rear rooms and garden.

According to Jashemski, this property appeared to have had an open area, which may have been planted.

This would have been to the rear of the living quarters.

See Jashemski, W. F., 1993. The Gardens of Pompeii, Volume II: Appendices. New York: Caratzas. (p.54)

 

I.12.5 Pompeii. September 2004.

Looking south through rear of caupona across atrium to the triclinium with window onto garden.

 

I.12.5 Pompeii. December 2007.

Looking south through rear of caupona across atrium to the triclinium with window.

 

I.12.5 Pompeii. December 2007. Triclinium with window to garden.

 

I.12.5 Pompeii. December 2007 Looking through the triclinium window at painted plaster in garden.

 

I.12.5 Pompeii. December 2006. Painted wall plaster between two doorways.     I.12.4

High up near the architrave, on the west side (right) of the doorway of I.12.5, a large painted head was found.

This showed the personification of Alessandria, or of Egypt, looking straight ahead.

Her head was covered with the usual tusks of an elephant.

On the left side of the large painted head, where the stucco is now missing, was a painted Mercury,

Mercury (0.56m high) was standing with his caduceus leaning on his left shoulder.

His purse was in his right hand.

Many graffiti were recorded from the walls between I.12.5 and I.12.4.

See Notizie di Scavi, 1914, (p.181-2)

See Varone, A. and Stefani, G., 2009. Titulorum Pictorum Pompeianorum, Rome: L’erma di Bretschneider. (p.154-5)

 

I.13 Pompeii. September 2004. Vicolo dei Fuggiaschi, looking south. Side wall of I.12.5