Private Houses (1) |

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May 14 2008, 5:52 AM EDT	clemio	1 photo added, 1 photo deleted
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House of Venus in the Shell (Reg II, Ins 3, 3)

This house was still being restored when Vesuvius erupted in AD79. It was excavated between 1933-35, but was subsequently damaged by bombing during World War II in 1943. It was re-excavated and restored in 1952. Situated on the Via dell'Abbondanza, it is also known as the House of D. Lucretii Satrii Valentes. To the right of the atrium, a room contains fine paintings on a black background. The picture above is of the peristyle of the house. The rear wall of the peristyle can be glimpsed beyond the shrubbery left of centre in the photograph. The right hand photograph is of the central painting of the group of three previously mentioned above and depicts Venus lying in a shell.

On the back wall of the peristyle are three large paintings set on a blue background: the left-hand painting is of the god Mars standing on the plynth while the central painting is of Venus lying in a conch shell with a nymph either side of her. The right-hand painting is of a nymph one riding on a dolphin.

House of Julia Felix (Reg II, Ins 4, 2)

First excavated between 1754-57, the house was subsequently re-buried after much damage had been done. It was re-excavated and restored in 1952-53. The house and gardens occupy one of the largest plots in Pompeii, taking up almost a third of an entire block.
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.. The other part of the property for rent was a tavern with bedroom, shops and small living area on the second floor. To the rear of the property was an extensive porticoed garden. The western portico is particularly elegant with its slender Corinthian pillars (above). The garden contained a large fish pond (right) and a vaulted outdoor triclinium.

A notice offering part of the owner's property for rent (private baths and shops with living quarters) was found on the front of the property and can now be seen in the National Archaeological Museum of Naples. The private baths were extensive, offering a waiting room, a dressing room (apodyterium), followed by tepidarium, laconicum and caldarium with finally an open area for bathing. ..

House of M. Lucretius Fronto (Reg V, Ins 4, a)

This house lies in an alley off the Via di Nola close to the limits of the excavated area. It is one of the most interesting and refined of the small domus from the imperial age, with spectacular paintings in the third style. Much of the house is in a good state of preservation.

In the tablinum can be seen the Triumph of Bacchus and the Marriage of Venus and Mars (pictured left).

In the room to the right are several notable paintings namely Narcissus at the Spring and Pero.

The triclinium contains several frescos: Orestes Slaying Neoptolemus, Theseus and Ariadne and the Toilet of Venus.

At the rear of the garden is a large African landscape.

House of the Silver Wedding (Reg V, Ins 2, i)

Also known as the House of L. Albucius Celsus this house was first excavated in 1893, the twenty-fifth wedding anniversary of the reigning Italian royal family.

Built in the 2nd century BC, it retains much of its original layout. The atrium is especially monumental: with its four Corinthian columns around a large impluvium it is considered the finest tetrastyle in Pompeii. The photograph on the right clearly shows the sheer height of the atrium and of the rooms off it.

Opposite the atrium is the tablinum while to the left is the triclinium which opens onto the peristyle.

To the right of the atrium was the service wing with kitchen, a bath suite (comprising caldarium, apodyterium, tepidarium and a pool in the garden behind serving as a frigidarium) and lastly the summer triclinium.

Off the peristyle are several rooms decorated in the second style while towards the south the house opens onto an even larger peristyle with an open air triclinium.

House of the Centennial (Reg IX, Ins 8, 6)

This house got its name from being excavated in 1879, eighteen hundred years after the Vesuvian eruption.

At the entrance is a mosaic of mythical sea creatures. The house had two atria which have remains of fourth style decoration. The fourth style decoration continues into the tablinum on the walls of which are depicted Juno, Apollo and Minerva.

The peristyle is quite large and has the remains of a pond in its centre. At the rear is an nymphaeum with a fountain.

Off the second atrium are a lararium and a series of other rooms. The picture (left) comes from a cubiculum in the house.

House of M. Obellius Firmus (Reg IX, Ins 14, 2/4)

This house lies east of the House of the Centennial, near the Barracks of the Gladiators.

Begun in the Samnite era, it has two entrances. The main entrance leads onto a large tetrastyle atrium. The atrium contains a marble table, a strong-box, fountain and satyr and, in one corner, a small temple shaped lararium similar to the one pictured right. At the rear of the atrium is a peristyle, porticoed on three sides.

The secondary entrance leads into a second atrium, off which are the service areas. The house is generally decorated in the second style. Stairways lead to the second floor which overlooked the garden.

House of the Wild Boar (Reg VII,Ins 4,48)

Also known as the House of the Ancient Hunt, the house retains much of its original layout although it had undergone some remodelling. The house has the typicalatrium style plan based on the Samnite model, grandly laid out so that the guest would become aware of the host's social status immediately upon entering. .. Fourth style frescoes are to be found in the tablinum (above right) which opens onto the atrium and garden. The molding imitates marble wall coverings, the predella depicts Nile landscapes and cherub hunters, and the walls have sky blue panels.

.. It was renovated just prior to the eruption of AD79, with new fourth style decorations. The decoration in the second room to the right of the atrium (pictured left) is especially well preserved. Unfortunately the large scene painted on the back wall of the garden a wild hunt after which the house was named has not survived so well. ..

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