70603


        PompeiiinPictures

   Home     Pompeii Plan    Regio I    Regio II    Regio III    Regio IV    Regio V    Regio VI    Regio VII    Regio VIII    Regio IX

   VII.1    VII.2    VII.3    VII.4    VII.5    VII.6    VII.7    VII.8    VII.9    VII.10    VII.11    VII.12    VII.13    VII.14    VII.15    VII.16

 

VII.6.3 Pompeii. Casa della Diana III

or House of M. Spurius Saturninus and D. Volcius Modestus.

First excavated 1760, 1841, 1910. Bombed on 13th September 1943.

Part 1.                    Part 2

 

According to Garcia y Garcia Region VII, Insula VI was one of the insulae most devastated over the years since its excavation.

He calls it the “Cinderella” of Pompeii. Between the years 1759 and 1762 it was vandalised and stripped by the Bourbons, then re-interred.

Then came the slow and non-systematic uncovering again before the final destruction in September 1943.

The area was ignored and abandoned during the years following the war, which reduced the insula to a heap of bricks and masonry.

See Garcia y Garcia, L., 2006. Danni di guerra a Pompei. Rome: L’Erma di Bretschneider. (p.102).

 

VII.6.3 Pompeii. May 2010. Looking east along the Via delle Terme, with the entrance to VII.6.3 in the centre.

 

VII.6.3 Pompeii. December 2004. Looking south across site of atrium, tablinum and garden. In January 1761, two seal/signets were found in this area – one showed the letters M(arci) Spuri Saturnini [CIL X, 8058, 83] Now in Naples Archaeological Museum, inventory number 4748. The other showed the letters D(ecimi) Volci D(ecimi) f(ilii) Modesti [CIL X, 8058, 95] Now in Naples Archaeological Museum, inventory number 4754 These seals gave the house its alternative name to Casa della Diana III. See Pagano, M. and Prisciandaro, R., 2006. Studio sulle provenienze degli oggetti rinvenuti negli scavi borbonici del regno di Napoli. Volume 1. Naples : Nicola Longobardi. (p. 37 They can be seen as Rami Inediti, fig 30b, and Rami Inediti, fig 65 a-b. See Pagano, M. and Prisciandaro, R., 2006. Studio sulle provenienze degli oggetti rinvenuti negli scavi borbonici del regno di Napoli. Volume 2: Indexes. Naples : Nicola Longobardi. (p. 331)

VII.6.3 Pompeii. December 2004. Looking south across site of atrium, tablinum and garden.

In January 1761, two seal/signets were found in this area – one showed the letters

 

M(arci)  Spuri

Saturnini    [CIL X, 8058, 83]  Now in Naples Archaeological Museum, inventory number 4748.

 

The other showed the letters

D(ecimi)  Volci  D(ecimi)  f(ilii)

Modesti      [CIL X, 8058, 95]  Now in Naples Archaeological Museum, inventory number 4754

 

These seals gave the house its alternative name to Casa della Diana III.

See Pagano, M. and Prisciandaro, R., 2006. Studio sulle provenienze degli oggetti rinvenuti negli scavi borbonici del regno di Napoli. Volume 1.  Naples : Nicola Longobardi.  (p. 37

They can be seen as Rami Inediti, fig 30b, and Rami Inediti, fig 65 a-b.

See Pagano, M. and Prisciandaro, R., 2006. Studio sulle provenienze degli oggetti rinvenuti negli scavi borbonici del regno di Napoli. Volume 2: Indexes.  Naples : Nicola Longobardi. (p. 331)

 

VII.6.3 Pompeii. May 2010. Looking south-west across site of atrium towards remains of rooms on west side.

VII.6.3 Pompeii. May 2010.

Looking south-west across site of atrium towards remains of rooms on west side.

 

VII.6.3 Pompeii. December 2004. Looking south-west. According to Garcia y Garcia, the bombing of 13th September 1943 resulted in the destruction - of the prothyron, and four rooms to the north and north-east of the atrium. - three columns of the portico were knocked down in the south-east corner of the peristyle. - in the west ala, the beautiful mosaic in black and white which had been disturbed in the last days of Pompeii by the construction of a wall for a cupboard base, just before its ruin by Vesuvius (Fig.232 on page 104). According to the map of the bombing (on page 26) 5 bombs hit this insula. Diary of Incursions on page 31-34 lists the damage to the surrounding houses – 13th September 1943 (17.00 hrs) (listed as VII.vii.3, but probably VII.vi.3) south and south-east of the peristyle, part of the south perimeter wall. VII.vi.28, north and north-west of the peristyle VII.vi.38, south-west of the house and neighbouring rooms. VII.vi.7, west of the atrium and south-west of peristyle. See Garcia y Garcia, L., 2006. Danni di guerra a Pompei. Rome: L’Erma di Bretschneider. (p.102 & p.104, Fig.232).

VII.6.3 Pompeii. December 2004. Looking south-west.

According to Garcia y Garcia, the bombing of 13th September 1943 resulted in the destruction

-  of the prothyron, and four rooms to the north and north-east of the atrium.

-  three columns of the portico were knocked down in the south-east corner of the peristyle.

-  in the west ala, the beautiful mosaic in black and white which had been disturbed in the last days of Pompeii by the construction of a wall for a cupboard base, just before its ruin by Vesuvius (Fig.232 on page 104).

According to the map of the bombing (on page 26) 5 bombs hit this insula.

Diary of Incursions on page 31-34 lists the damage to the surrounding houses –

13th September 1943 (17.00 hrs)

(listed as VII.vii.3, but probably VII.vi.3) south and south-east of the peristyle, part of the south perimeter wall.

VII.vi.28, north and north-west of the peristyle

VII.vi.38, south-west of the house and neighbouring rooms.

VII.vi.7,   west of the atrium and south-west of peristyle.

See Garcia y Garcia, L., 2006. Danni di guerra a Pompei. Rome: L’Erma di Bretschneider. (p.102 & p.104, Fig.232).

 

VII.6.3 Pompeii. May 2010. Western part of house.

VII.6.3 Pompeii. May 2010. Western part of house.

 

VII.6.3 Pompeii. May 2010. Rooms on the west side.

VII.6.3 Pompeii. May 2010. Rooms on the west side.

 

VII.6.3 Pompeii. May 2010. Room and corridor in the south-west corner.

VII.6.3 Pompeii. May 2010. Room and corridor in the south-west corner.

 

VII.6.3 Pompeii. May 2010. Garden area on south side.

VII.6.3 Pompeii. May 2010. Garden area on south side.

 

VII.6.3 Pompeii. May 2010. Remains of the large and elegant shrine in the south part of the garden. The altar on its north side can be seen. According to Boyce, the sacrarium was found in a small room opening off the south side of the peristyle, only the solid podium remains. The podium was coated with grey stucco on its sides and paved on top with pounded sherds. In front of the base stood the remains of a small altar of tufa in the form of a rectangular pillar upon a base; the whole covered with red stucco. See Boyce G. K., 1937. Corpus of the Lararia of Pompeii. Rome: MAAR 14. (p. 67, no.286)

VII.6.3 Pompeii. May 2010.

Remains of the large and elegant shrine in the south part of the garden.

The altar on its north side can be seen.

According to Boyce, the sacrarium was found in a small room opening off the south side of the peristyle, only the solid podium remains.

The podium was coated with grey stucco on its sides and paved on top with pounded sherds.

In front of the base stood the remains of a small altar of tufa in the form of a rectangular pillar upon a base; the whole covered with red stucco.

See Boyce G. K., 1937. Corpus of the Lararia of Pompeii. Rome: MAAR 14. (p. 67, no.286) 

 

VII.6.3 Pompeii. December 2007. Steps to Kitchen.

VII.6.3 Pompeii. December 2007. Steps to kitchen.

 

VII.6.3 Pompeii. December 2007. Remains of Lararium wall painting on north wall in kitchen, with ruins of masonry structure on its west side.

VII.6.3 Pompeii. December 2007.

Remains of Lararium wall painting on north wall in kitchen, with ruins of masonry structure on its west side.

 

VII.6.3 Pompeii. December 2007. Remains of Lararium wall painting in Kitchen. Two upright snakes either side of a round altar with plants in the background. Above this on the upper part, now lost, was an offering scene. See Fröhlich, T., 1991. Lararien und Fassadenbilder in den Vesuvstädten. Mainz: von Zabern. (L87, T: 42,1).

VII.6.3 Pompeii. December 2007. Remains of Lararium wall painting in kitchen.

Two upright snakes either side of a round altar with plants in the background.

Above this on the upper part, now lost, was an offering scene.

See Fröhlich, T., 1991. Lararien und Fassadenbilder in den Vesuvstädten. Mainz: von Zabern. (L87, T: 42,1).

 

VII.6.3 Pompeii. December 2007. Remains of Lararium wall painting in kitchen. According to Boyce, this was located on the north wall next to the ruins of a masonry structure, probably the hearth. It was painted on a white background. In the lower zone, two yellow serpents are confronted at a cylindrical altar with offerings, the background adorned with many plants. A tile was embedded in the wall above the painted altar to serve as a projecting shelf for offerings in front of the painted figures in the upper zone. Only faint traces of these could be seen at the time of excavation. See Boyce G. K., 1937. Corpus of the Lararia of Pompeii. Rome: MAAR 14. (p.67, no.287)

VII.6.3 Pompeii. December 2007. Remains of Lararium wall painting in kitchen.

According to Boyce, this was located on the north wall next to the ruins of a masonry structure, probably the hearth.

It was painted on a white background.

In the lower zone, two yellow serpents are confronted at a cylindrical altar with offerings, the background adorned with many plants.

A tile was embedded in the wall above the painted altar to serve as a projecting shelf for offerings in front of the painted figures in the upper zone.

Only faint traces of these could be seen at the time of excavation.

See Boyce G. K., 1937. Corpus of the Lararia of Pompeii. Rome: MAAR 14. (p.67, no.287)

 

VII.6.3 Pompeii. December 2007. Kitchen.

VII.6.3 Pompeii. December 2007. Kitchen area.

 

VII.6.3 Pompeii. December 2007. Kitchen.

VII.6.3 Pompeii. December 2007. Kitchen area.

 

VII.6.3 Pompeii. December 2007.

VII.6.3 Pompeii. December 2007.

 

 

 

Part 2