VII.12.28 Pompeii. Casa del Balcone Pensile or House of the Hanging Balcony.

Excavated 1863. (Vico del Balcone Pensile 9)

 

VII.12.28 Pompeii. December 2007.

 

VII.12.28 Pompeii.  

Photographed 1970-79 by Günther Einhorn, picture courtesy of his son Ralf Einhorn.

 

VII.12.28 Pompeii.

Looking west to the junction of Vicolo del Balcone Pensile with Vicolo della Maschera, on the left.

Photographed 1970-79 by Günther Einhorn, picture courtesy of his son Ralf Einhorn.

 

VII.12.28 Pompeii. December 2005. Entrance doorway.

According to Boyce, in this house was found a ruined lararium painting done on a white background.

He said it was not certain in which room the painting was seen.

Fiorelli placed it in the atrium, the Ann. Inst. and Helbig placed it in the kitchen.

In the west wall of the kitchen, a rectangular niche can be seen. Perhaps the painting was seen on the wall beside this niche?

Above the coils of a single serpent (female, according to Helbig) stood a Lar in green tunic and brown pallium.

The corresponding serpent and Lar on the other side had disappeared.

Helbig, 38; Ann.Inst., xxxv, 124, X; Fiorelli, Scavi, 105, No.17, Fiorelli, Descr., 291.

See Boyce G. K., 1937. Corpus of the Lararia of Pompeii. Rome: MAAR 14. (p.71, no.322)

 

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VII.12.28 Pompeii. December 2005. West end of upper floor. 

 

VII.12.28 Pompeii. December 2005. East end of upper floor. 

 

VII.12.28 Pompeii. December 2007. Upper floor. 

 

VII.12.28 Pompeii. December 2005. Looking north through doorway.

 

VII.12.28 Pompeii. December 2005. Looking north along entrance corridor towards small garden at the front of the house.

According to Jashemski, this was enclosed on the north and west by a portico supported by three columns and one pilaster.

These were joined by a low wall. At the north-west corner was a small shallow pool in which stood a footed marble basin.

On the pedestal behind the basin stood a marble fountain statuette (see photos below).

On the left corner of the pedestal there was a small bronze head of Jupiter.

See Jashemski, W. F., 1993. The Gardens of Pompeii, Volume II: Appendices. New York: Caratzas. (p.196

 

VII.12.28 Pompeii. Fountain and statue in Viridarium.

Old undated photograph courtesy of the Society of Antiquaries, Fox Collection.

 

VII.12.28 Pompeii. Marble fountain statue of small boy with hand on head and holding a shell. 

Found in Viridarium. Front view. SAP inventory number 20395.

 

VII.12.28 Pompeii. Marble fountain statue of small boy with hand on head and holding a shell.

Rear view showing pipework into arm. SAP inventory number 20395.

 

VII.12.28 Pompeii. Marble fountain statue of small boy with hand on head and holding a shell.

Arm and shell from which water fell, showing lead pipework. SAP inventory number 20395.

 

VII.12.28 from VII.12.35. May 2006. Looking east towards marble table.

According to Jashemski, in the portico behind the pedestal was a marble table.

In the floor underneath the table was a cavity, which contained the keys of the pipes distributing the fountain water.

See Jashemski, W. F., 1993. The Gardens of Pompeii, Volume II: Appendices. New York: Caratzas. (p.196)

 

VII.12.28 from VII.12.35, Pompeii. May 2006.

Looking east towards the north portico, and white marble threshold of exedra.

In the lower left, the upper north-east corner of the plastered wall of a cubiculum can be seen.

 

VII.12.29 blocked entrance and VII.12.28 on Vico del Balcone Pensile. December 2005.