VI.9.1 Pompeii. Casa del Duca di
Aumale or Casa d’Iside ed Io
or Hospitium Gabinianus or of Gabinius.
Rear entrance at VI.9.14. Excavated 1831, 1841 and 1851.
Part: 1 2 3 4 5 6 VI.9.1/14 plan VI.9.14
VI.9.1 Pompeii. December 2005. Remains of buried wall plaster on east wall of atrium, on the north side of doorway into room 11.
VI.9.1 Pompeii. W639. Looking across room 2, the atrium, towards north-east side of house.
In the centre is a walkway, room 4, with a doorway into the south side of room 11, large triclinium.
Photo by Tatiana
Warscher. Photo © Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, Abteilung Rom, Arkiv.
According to Warscher, this doorway from the atrium led to the walkway of the xystus (her room “X”)
See Warscher, T,
1938: Codex Topographicus Pompejanus,
Regio VI, insula 9: Pars prima, (no.19), Rome, DAIR.
VI.9.1 Pompeii. December 2007. Looking north across room 11, a large triclinium.
According to Packer, the decoration on the walls in this room and the adjoining corridor, room 4, were simpler than the previous one.
In the large oecus, there were high yellow and red panels with red and yellow (?) borders.
See Cronache Pompeiane, IV, 1978, for article by Packer, J: Inns at Pompeii: a short survey (p.24-30)
VI.9.1 Pompeii. W635. Room 11, looking towards north wall with remains of wall decorations.
Photo by Tatiana
Warscher. Photo © Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, Abteilung Rom, Arkiv.
According to Warscher, it was possible to measure exactly the divisions on the north wall.
1) side panel – 1,15.
2) architectural motive – 0,14.
3) central panel – 1,00.
4) architectural motive – 0,13.
5) side panel – 1,16.
On each side panel a panther was represented; on the central panel were two beasts which could not be recognised.
The traces on the west and east wall showed that these were painted in the same manner as the north wall, but since these walls were longer the panels were proportionately wider or there were five panels.
The measure showed that the central panel was 1,25m. This was a convenient place for a picture of 0.95 wide.
I have minutely examined the border of the same painting, there are traces of yellow colour.
We have therefore an indication that the painting had been taken from a yellow background.
Bonucci called the house ‘House of Iside and Io”. This was a decisive argument, as Bonucci worked at Pompeii at the time of the excavation of the house in question.
Moreover, it was possible that the painting may have been from another room in this house.
The painting of Io was a long way from being one of the best paintings from Pompeii, but without doubt it was the best painting in the “Gabinianum”.
Nothing prevents us from believing that in this room were the sacred banquets and the presence of the painting of Io in an unassuming tavern was a proof that the cult of Isis was widespread among the lower classes of Pompeii.
It was not possible however to say definitely if the painting of Io was on the west wall or the east.
Right in the centre of the west wall there is a hole, part of which goes all the way to the other side – onto the east side of the ala. See the photographs.
See Warscher, T, 1938: Codex Topographicus Pompejanus, Regio VI, insula 9: Pars prima, (no.17, 17a), DAIR, Rome.
VI.9.1 Pompeii. Painting of the Arrival of Io at Canopus. From a room north of the atrium.
Io is deposited on the rocks at Canopus carried by a river god, probably the Nile. She is being greeted by Isis.
Behind Isis stand two figures, possibly Mercury and a priest.
The small Harpocrates is to the right of the painting with his hand to his lips in the gesture of silence.
To the left of the river god is a sphinx, and under the foot of Isis is a crocodile and a cobra.
Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 9555.
The house was named after this painting.
See Zahn See Bullettino dell’Instituto di Corrispondenza
Archeologica (DAIR), 1831
p. 18.
See Helbig, W., 1868. Wandgemälde der vom Vesuv verschütteten Städte Campaniens. Leipzig: Breitkopf und Härtel. (139).
VI.9.1 Pompeii. 1938 photograph taken by Tatiana Warscher.
Looking towards the north-east corner of “Triclinio giallo “L”.
See Warscher, T, 1938: Codex Topographicus Pompejanus, Regio VI, insula 9: Pars prima, (no.17, 17a), Rome, DAIR, whose copyright it remains.
VI.9.1 Pompeii. December 2005. Room 2, the atrium, looking east towards rear entrance at VI.9.14.
VI.9.1 Pompeii. 1938 photograph taken by Tatiana Warscher.
Looking east across impluvium in atrium towards doorway into walkway of xystus (garden area).
See Warscher, T, 1938: Codex Topographicus Pompejanus, Regio VI, insula 9: Pars prima, (no.12), Rome, DAIR, whose copyright it remains.
VI.9.1 Pompeii. December 2007. Looking north-east across site of rooms 8, and 9, from site of walkway of xystus.
VI.9.1 Pompeii. December 2007.
Looking north-east across site of rooms 8, and 9. The site of room 10 would have been in the lower right.
At the rear would be the rooms belonging to the linked property at VI.9.14.
VI.9.1 Pompeii. December 2007. Looking north across remains of rooms 8, 9 and 10.
VI.9.1 Pompeii. W637.
Looking north from garden area (room 18) towards rooms 12, 11, and small corridor leading to room 8.
Photo by Tatiana
Warscher. Photo © Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, Abteilung Rom, Arkiv.
According to Warscher, in room 11, (Warscher’s room “L” the yellow triclinium, seen left of centre in the photo), in the left wall was a hole.
It could not be excluded that this hole was what remained after the painting of Io was taken out.
See Warscher, T, 1938: Codex Topographicus Pompejanus, Regio VI, insula 9: Pars prima, (no.17c), DAIR, Rome.
VI.9.1 Pompeii. W660. Looking north-west across the walkway (room 4) on north side of garden 18.
On the right, through the open doorway, are the remains of the west wall of room 11, the large triclinium.
Photo by Tatiana
Warscher. Photo © Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, Abteilung Rom, Arkiv.
According to Warscher, this photograph showed the north-west corner of the xystus where one could see the remains of a podium, the channel, and the mouth of the cistern. In the background was the triclinium “L”.
See Warscher, T, 1938: Codex Topographicus Pompejanus, Regio VI, insula 9: Pars prima, (no.23), DAIR, Rome.
VI.9.1 Pompeii. W 658. Looking north towards north-west corner of room 8, along site of corridor.
Photo by Tatiana
Warscher. Photo © Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, Abteilung Rom, Arkiv.
VI.9.1 Pompeii. W654.
Looking north-east towards rear north wall of room 8, which contained a small private room (9) and small garden.
The photo would have been taken from the area of either cubiculum 7, or room 10, showing the remains of the painted decoration on the lower wall.
Photo by Tatiana
Warscher. Photo © Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, Abteilung Rom, Arkiv.
VI.9.1 Pompeii. December 2007.
Looking east across remains of rooms on east side of VI.9.1 from area of walkway room 4, towards corridor/tablinum into VI.9.14.
VI.9.1 Pompeii. September 2005. Looking west along north side of VI.9.1, from site of cubiculum 7.
VI.9.1 Pompeii. December 2005. Remains of rooms on east side of houses. For these rooms, see VI.9.14.
VI.9.1 Pompeii. W641.
Looking north from garden area 18, north-east side, across the walkway of room 4, towards doorway to corridor to room 8.
Photo by Tatiana Warscher. With kind permission of DAI Rome, whose copyright it remains.
According to Warscher, this showed the north-east corner of the xystus, where one could see the remains of a podium.
See Warscher, T, 1938: Codex Topographicus Pompejanus, Regio VI, insula 9: Pars prima, (no.21), DAIR, Rome.
VI.9.1 Pompeii. W655. Looking towards north-east corner of garden area 18.
Photo by Tatiana Warscher. With kind permission of DAI Rome, whose copyright it remains.
According to Warscher, this showed the east wall of the xystus.
See Warscher, T, 1938: Codex Topographicus Pompejanus, Regio VI, insula 9: Pars prima, (no.22), DAIR, Rome.
VI.9.1 Pompeii. December 2005. Looking north-east across garden area, from area of triclinium 15.
VI.9.1 Pompeii. December 2007. Looking south-east from garden area 18, across to dividing wall between VI.9.1 and VI.9.13.
VI.9.1 Pompeii. December 2005. East wall of garden area, the dividing wall of VI.9.13.
VI.9.1 Pompeii. December 2005. East wall of garden area, the dividing wall of VI.9.13.
VI.9.1 Pompeii. December 2007.
Looking south-west from garden area 18, across site of the spacious room 15, probably a large triclinium.
This would be under the large mound of earth topped with green grass.
The doorway to the atrium, with the remains of the arca, can be seen, right of centre.
VI.9.1 Pompeii. W.656. Looking north-east towards wall of the spacious triclinium, room 15.
Photo by Tatiana
Warscher. Photo © Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, Abteilung Rom, Arkiv.
VI.9.1 Pompeii. December 2007. Looking south.
According to Jashemski, this area was the site of the spacious L-shaped garden of the Hospitium, room 18.
It was excavated in 1830.
On the west side of the garden was an exceptionally large triclinium, room 15, with windows onto the garden area.
Remains of the wall with windows can be seen on the right of the photo.
See Jashemski, W. F., 1993. The Gardens of Pompeii, Volume II: Appendices. New York: Caratzas. (p.137)
According to Warscher, quoting Minervini in Bull. Napol. 1843, p.69, she described –
“The open space of which we have already spoken, and to which one exits from the last described cubiculum, was perhaps used as a garden, and onto which opened three large windows, one of which was from the already described cubiculum, and two were in the walls of the big room, (the large triclinium) as we have said, to the right of the atrium. A masonry channel collected water that fell from the roof and carried it into a cistern, of which one could see the double mouth. Also in the wall in front of this garden were more windows intended to give light to a workshop at the back of the garden, of this same, we must investigate further. Behind the already described channel was a spacious room in which we could see other cistern openings, however with whitewashed masonry and a black zoccolo. This room certainly supported the roof slope towards that channel: this room communicated with the atrium, and also had a doorway, which now could be seen walled up, with another room ... ...”
See Warscher, T, 1938: Codex Topographicus Pompejanus, Regio VI, insula 9: Pars prima, (see photographs nos: 21, 22 and 23), Rome, DAIR, whose copyright they remain.
VI.9.1 Pompeii. December 2007. Room 18, area in the south-east corner of the garden area.
VI.9.1, Pompeii. December 2018.
Room 18, south wall of the garden area, with niche in south-east corner. Photo courtesy of Aude Durand.
VI.9.1 Pompeii. December 2007. Room 18, wall in the south-east corner of the garden area.
VI.9.1 Pompeii. December 2018.
Room 18, niche or recess in south wall
in the south-east corner of the garden area. Photo courtesy of Aude Durand.
VI.9.1 Pompeii. December 2007. Room 18, niche or recess in wall in the south-east corner.
VI.9.1 Pompeii. December 2007. Room 18, structure near the south wall.
VI.9.1 Pompeii. December 2007. Looking west along the south wall towards room 17 and doorway to room 16.
According to Packer, rooms 17 and 16 (on his plan 10 and 9) were cubicula, and presumably had the same sort of decoration as the other cubicula, described in room 21 below, but only a few fragments of the decorations survived.
See Cronache Pompeiane, IV, 1978, for article by Packer, J: Inns at Pompeii: a short survey (p.24-30)
See Bullettino Archeologico Napolitano, 1, 1843,
p.68-70
On the right can be seen the remains of the south wall of the large triclinium, room 15.
VI.9.1 Pompeii. December 2007. Room 17, looking towards south-west corner.
According to Packer, in room 17 (his room 10), the walls were decorated with yellow panels which were separated by green and white borders.
The border on the west wall was painted as a hanging garland while the others were as a strip of filigree work.
VI.9.1 Pompeii. December 2007. Looking east along south wall of garden area, from room 17.
Part: 1 2 3 4 5 6 VI.9.1/14 plan VI.9.14