VII.6.28 Pompeii. Casa del Peristilio or House of Secundus Tyrannus Fortunatus?  

Linked to VII.6.19 and VII.6.20.

Excavated 1762, 1808, 1868, 1873 and 1910. Destroyed by bombing on 13th September 1943 at 17.30hrs.

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.6.28 Pompeii (with white step). VII.6.27 and VII.6.26. September 2005. Looking north-west.

 

Pompeii.September 2005. VII.6.30/VII.6.29/VII.6.28 Vicolo dei Soprastanti.

 

Pompeii. September 2005. VII.6.30/VII.6.29/VII.6.28. Vicolo dei Soprastanti.

 

VII.6.28 Pompeii. September 2005. Entrance with white marble sill.

Looking north-west towards site of cubiculum on west side of entrance corridor, which was destroyed by bombing.

 

According to Fiorelli, this house only had the entrance and fauces excavated (by 1873).

On the stucco on the front of the house, there were the remains of the graffiti:

 

C(aium)  Cuspium  Pansam

a[ed](ilem)  d(ignum)  r(ei)  p(ublicae)      [CIL IV 542]

 

and painted in large letters in red –

 

Secundus Tyran(n)us Fortunatus    [CIL IV 543]

 

See Pappalardo, U., 2001. La Descrizione di Pompei per Giuseppe Fiorelli (1875). Napoli: Massa Editore. (p.160)

See Epigraphik-Datenbank Clauss/Slaby (See www.manfredclauss.de)

 

VII.6.28 Pompeii. September 2005. Remains of Impluvium.

 

VII.6.28 Pompeii. September 2005.

Looking north across remains of atrium, andron and tablinum to the area of the south side of the peristyle.

The bombing on 13th September 1943 destroyed two cubicula, one in the south-west and the other in the south-east of the atrium.

It also destroyed the west and east portico of the peristyle, a cubiculum on the east of the peristyle, and the perimeter wall to the north.

All the painted decoration was lost, the Second style in the tablinum, the Third Style in the cubiculum on the east side of the peristyle, and the beautiful garden painting on the north and east sides of the peristyle.

See Garcia y Garcia, L., 2006. Danni di guerra a Pompei. Rome: L’Erma di Bretschneider. (p.106-7)

 

VII.6.28 Pompeii. About 1910  South-west corner of the peristyle. 

In the picture can be seen a low wall or threshold of the tablinum, the andron and the doorway to room 7. 

Also visible is a masonry altar.  This area was devastated by bombing in 1943.

Photograph courtesy of Soprintendenza Speciale per i Beni Archeologici di Napoli e Pompei.  Negative number C369.

 

According to Boyce, near the south-west corner of the peristyle stood a rectangular masonry altar, coated with stucco.

On the top of it, traces of burning were visible at the time of excavation.

He also said that holes found in the earth near the altar were explained by Spano (Not.Scavi) as being the decomposed roots of a large tree.

Spano thought this may have been an arbour sacra, which may have been honoured by sacrifice upon the altar.

See Boyce G. K., 1937. Corpus of the Lararia of Pompeii. Rome: MAAR 14. (p.67, no.291)

Not.Scavi, 1910, 466f and fig.9,9a.

 

VII.6.28 Pompeii. September 2005. Looking north to area of peristyle, in foreground.

Slightly to the rear of the remains of the column, on the right, indicates the approximate position of the north wall of the peristyle.

The north wall was where the important garden painting would have been.

VII.6.7 can then be seen, at the rear.

 

VII.6.28 Pompeii. About 1910. North wall of peristyle with garden painting. 

This area was devastated by bombing in 1943.

See Jashemski, W. F., 1993. The Gardens of Pompeii, Volume II: Appendices. New York: Caratzas.

Photograph courtesy of Soprintendenza Speciale per i Beni Archeologici di Napoli e Pompei. 

Negative number C361.

 

VII.6.28 Pompeii. September 2005.

Looking north-east towards doorways to rooms 21, site of cubiculum 8, and room 9, on east side of peristyle.

 

VII.6.28 Pompeii. Glazed two handled cup or skyphos.

One of two skyphoi found on 22nd February 1910 in an elegant room to east of peristyle.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum.  Inventory number 133316.

Our thanks to Raffaele Prisciandaro for his help in identifying this object.

 

VII.6.28 Pompeii. Glazed two handled cup or skyphos.

One of two skyphoi found on 22nd February 1910 in an elegant room to east of peristyle.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum.  Inventory number 133315.

Our thanks to Raffaele Prisciandaro for his help in identifying this object.

 

VII.6.28 Pompeii. September 2005.

On the left, room 9, and passageway, in centre, leading to shop at VII.6.19.

 

VII.6.28 Pompeii. September 2005.

Looking west from approximate area of room 5, on the west side of the peristyle, towards VII.6.38.

 

VII.6.7 Pompeii. September 2005. Stairs of VII.6.7 in east wall on the left and VII.6.28 to the right.

 

VII.6.28 Pompeii. May 2010. On the right, a small ivory jar with figures in relief, found 29th May 1762.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum.  Inventory number 77569

 

 

 

Part 2