House of the Golden Cupids (Reg VI, Ins 16, 7)

.. The entrance is flanked by cubicula and leads to the atrium which in turn leads to the triclinium and peristyle. The triclinium has several paintings in the third style with subjects ranging from Thetic at Vulcan's Forge and Jason and Pelias (below). ..

This house once belonged to Poppaeus Abitus. Next to the House of the Vettii, it is a refined dwelling, richly decorated. It was originally named after the glass discs etched with cupids on gold leaves found in a cubiculum. .. All the remaining rooms are laid out around the peristyle (above). Many of the rooms were elegantly decorated with stucco, paintings and mosaics. In the peristyle are altars to both Egyptian and Roman gods while the garden contains busts on small pillars and a pool with fountain.

House of the Large Fountain (Reg VI, Ins 8, 22)

This house lies next to the House of the Small Fountain on the Via di Mercurio. It takes its name from the monumental fountain set in a nymphaeum near the back wall of the small garden situated beyond the atrium. ..

.. The fountain consists of a pediment set over a niche completely faced with mosaic in polychrome glass tesserae. Water flows from a rectangular opening in the niche to cascade down a small flight of steps into a basin below. .. The rest of the decoration is made up of tragic masks on either side of the niche and a bronze statue of a putto with a dolphin set on a base inside the basin (the original of which is in the National Archaeological Museum of Naples). The photograph on the left is of a replica fountain at the J. Paul Getty Museum in Malibu, California.

House of the Dioscuri (Reg VI, Ins 9, 6)

This house, in the Via di Mercurio, was excavated between 1826-37. It is also known as the House of Castor and Pollox and would appear to be the combination of three earlier buildings.

Its atrium is unusual, being only one of four in Pompeii with Corinthian columns. The twelve columns are arranged round the central impluvium.

Most of the murals are now in the National Archaeological Museum of Naples, like that of Perseus and Andromeda pictured right, taken from the oecus or dining room. Another fresco is of Medea in Corinth.

Some frescoes still remain in-situ, however, and can be seen in the rooms either side of the tablinum and in the large peristyle. These paintings are mostly in the fourth style.

|In the centre of the peristyle is a garden with basin. A second peristyle with a large basin is reached from the right side of the atrium.

House of the Vettii (Reg VI, Ins 15, 1)

.. The vestibule leads into a column-less atrium with an impluvium in the centre. It has safes on either side sheathed with iron and bronze nails, set on masonry bases. The wall decoration depicts cupids sacrificing to the Penates, putti in various poses, wagons with symbols of Bacchus and Mercury and a scene of sacrifice to Fortuna. A second, smaller atrium to the right leads to the domestic area and kitchen. ..

This house derives its name from two bronze seals found near a strongbox in the atrium. The seals bore the names Aulus Vettius Restitutus and Aulus Vettius Conviva. The house was built along two sides of the peristyle (see left). In the vestibule is a picture of Priapus, god of fertility, there to ward off bad luck. The main atrium (left) leads directly onto the peristyle without the usual tablinum. To the right of the atrium is an oecus decorated with panels depicting scenes from mythology. A second oecus, on the opposite side of the atrium is similarly well decorated.

..
Fourth style paintings adorn most of the rooms. The large triclinium (pictured right) opens off the northern corner of the peristyle and is decorated with red panels with Seasons in frames and perspective architecture, ornamental elements which turn into delicate figurines, small pictures of naval battles set under theatrical masks and Dionysiac cult objects.

Above is a black frieze decorated with imaginary architecture and cupids acting out the various professions, while below is in faux marble.

The scene on the right wall shows Ariadne in Naxos, awakened by Dionysius.
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The peristyle itself contained statues, columns, fountains and tables and these have been restored to their original positions together with a recreation of their garden setting based on traces left by the plants roots. Even the lead pipes that carried water to the numerous fountains are in their original position.

A gynaeceum lies in the north-east corner of the peristyle set on a large colonnaded court with cubicle and its own triclinium.
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A third oecus leads off the main atrium at the front of the house.

House of the Faun (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 and contained a spectacular impluvium with a statue of a dancing Faun, after which the house got its name. (The original of the statue can be seen in the National Archaeological Museum of Naples).

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). ..

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At the far 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 from the second and larger peristyle with 46 columns was an exedra flanked by two summer triclini. .. Other mosaics from the triclinium can also be found at the Naples museum. The Nile landscape (right) was from a summer triclinium and can also now be seen in Naples. .. Beyond the second peristyle were the gardener's quarters and the secondary entrance or posticum leading onto the Via di Mercurio.

.. 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. This mosaic, part of which is pictured above and left, can now be seen in the National Archaeological Museum of Naples. ..

House of the Tragic Poet (Reg VI, Ins 8, 3)

This house, excavated in 1824 lies at the corner of the Via delle Terme and the Via della Fullonica, facing the Forum Baths. In its entrance vestibule is the well known mosaic (right) of a dog on a leash bearing the warning cave canem, 'beware of the dog'. The house has the classic layout of aSamnite House, built round a central atrium. Flanking the entrance are two shops run by the owner of the house. ..

Despite its size, the house was filled with decorative mosaics. Most of these have been removed, including the mosaic in the tablinum depicting the rehearsal of a theatrical tragedy after which the house has named. This, and other mosaics can now be seen at the National Archaeological Museum of Naples. .. Beyond the tablinum lies a small peristyle adjacent to the back wall of the house. An oecus opens onto the peristyle on its north-east side. It contains two frescos, one of Ariadne and Theseus, the other of Venus. .. The painting on the left depicts Iphigeneia being carried to the sacrifice. This fresco comes from the portico off the peristyle at the rear of the house and again it can be seen in National Archaeological Museum of Naples.

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