Description of the House (Reg VI, Ins 12, 2) .. The house had two atria, one for the main house, with a second to its right. This second atrium had its own entrance and was possibly used as guest quarters. The main atrium has no supporting columns, but does contain a spectacular impluvium with a statue of a dancing Faun, after which the house was named. (The original of the statue can be seen in the National Archaeological Museum of Naples). On the west and east sides of the atrium are a series of cubicula and two alae. The House of the Faun is on the Via della Fortuna and covers a complete block. It was discovered in 1830 and is one of the largest residences in Pompeii. .. The entrance, preceded by the word Salve, meaning welcome, is decorated in the first style and holds two shrines to the Lares (left). .. On the north side of the atrium was the tablinum flanked by two triclini. The tablinum opened onto the smaller of two peristyles adorned with 28 doric columns. Separating this area from the second and larger peristyle with 46 columns was an exedra flanked by two summer triclini. . . This mosaic, part of which is pictured below and right, can now be seen in the National Archaeological Museum of Naples. .. The mosaic below of birds feeding is also from the house and can be seen in-situ. .. .. The exedra, decorated in the first style, had a magnificent mosaic floor portraying the battle between Alexander the Great and Darius, king of the Persians, at Issus. About one million tesserae make up the mosaic, a rightly considered masterpiece. Of particular interest is the artist's use of opus vermiculatum. .. .. Other mosaics from the triclinium can also be found at the Naples museum. The Nile landscape (below) was from a summer triclinium and can also now be seen in Naples. .. .. Beyond the second peristyle were the gardener's quarters and a posticum or secondary entrance leading onto the Via di Mercurio.

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