V.2.c Pompeii. Dwelling house. Linked to V.2.b.

Excavated 1880? 1884.

V.2.c and V.2.b Pompeii. 1885 plan by Mau.

a: Entrance corridor.

b: Atrium.

c: Kitchen.

d: Cubiculum.

The bar at V.2.b is not additionally numbered.

See Bullettino dell’Instituto di Corrispondenza Archeologica (DAIR), 1885, p. 157.

V.2.c Pompeii. September 2021.

Looking east along entrance corridor “a”. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

V.2.c Pompeii. September 2021.

Downpipe above the zoccolo on the left of the doorway of V.2.c Pompeii, probably from a room in V.2.d.

Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

V.2.c Pompeii. December 2005. Entrance corridor “a”, looking east.

V.2.b Pompeii. December 2007.

Looking east along entrance corridor “a” towards atrium “b” and rooms “c” and “d”. 

V.2.b Pompeii. December 2007. Lararium on west wall of room “b” behind the bar of V.2.b.

See Fröhlich, T., 1991, Lararien und Fassadenbilder in den Vesuvstädten. Mainz: von Zabern. (L44: p.267, T. 31,2).

V.2.b Pompeii. December 2007. Remains of lararium painting on west wall of room “b” behind the bar.

V.2.c Pompeii. 1931. Room “b”. Lararium painting.

DAIR 31.1772. Photo © Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, Abteilung Rom, Arkiv.

According to Boyce, this was a finely preserved lararium painting including a broad red stripe on all sides.

In the upper part, the Genius, wreathed and holding cornucopia in his left, poured a libation from a patera held in his right.

The cylindrical altar, painted in red and yellow imitation marble, had a blazing fire on its top.

On the opposite side of the altar, a tibicen in long white robe played the double flutes.

On each side, stood a Lar wearing tunic and pallium and holding a rhyton and situla.

The tunic of each Lar had a broad red stripe down the front and was yellow and blue.

The pallium was red. Three garlands were painted across the top, and two others hung down at the side.

Above the garland were three divinities – the Sun, Mercury and another, possibly the Moon, but even then disappeared.

Underneath, a yellow and brown serpent with red crest creeps towards an altar with fire and an egg on top.

On the right side of this altar is the figure of Sarnus, lying in the middle of aquatic plants.

He is very small compared to the serpent.

On the left side of the serpent, corresponding to Sarnus on the right, was another figure but also had disappeared by then.

The background of both zones was filled with plants with red flowers. Above the serpent, was a single flying bird.

See Boyce G. K., 1937. Corpus of the Lararia of Pompeii. Rome: MAAR 14. (p.36, no.99, Pl. 17,1)

Also in this same house, according to Boyce, there was another faded lararium painting in the south-west corner of the second room [“c”] behind the bar.

See Boyce G. K., 1937. Corpus of the Lararia of Pompeii. Rome: MAAR 14. (p.36, no.100). 

V.2.b Pompeii. May 2003. Lararium on west wall of room “b” behind the bar. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.

V.2.c Pompeii. May 2003. Room “b”. Detail from Lararium on west wall of room behind the bar.

Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.

V.2.c Pompeii but shown as V.2 Cenaculum on the photo. Pre-1937-39. Room “b”. Detail from lararium.

Photo courtesy of American Academy in Rome, Photographic Archive. Warsher collection no. 585.

V.2.c Pompeii. December 2007. Room “b”. Looking back to V.2.b and entrance corridor “a”.

On the wall to the left was a wooden staircase, leading upstairs, probably to two rooms above V.2.b and corridor “a”.

These rooms were possibly the home of the people who ran the thermopolium.

V.2.b/c Pompeii. May 2003. Room “b”. Stove in centre of room.

It was a covered in reddish stucco (with addition of brick dust) and fitted in the centre was a quadrangular lead jar with a round mouth.

Looking west towards entrance to V.2.b (on left) and V.2.c (on right). Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.

V.2.c Pompeii. Room “b”. 1817 copy by Gell of painting on the walls of the amphitheatre, now lost.

See Gell, W, and Gandy J. P., 1819. Pompeiana. London: Rodwell and Martin, pl. LXX. 

According to Overbeck, a semi-armed gladiator blows the battle horn (tuba) and not a Tubicen (trumpeter) who would have been unarmed.

See Overbeck J., 1884. Pompeji in seinen Gebäuden, Alterthümen und Kunstwerken. Leipzig: Engelmann, p. 183, fig. 107.

On January 24th, 1884, three great circular bronze amphitheatre trumpets (tubae) were found, the circumference 4.12 m., and a diameter of 1.20 m. approximately.

At 0.63 m. from the bell there was soldered a cylinder, which corresponded to another 0.70m. from the mouthpiece.
These were used to hold the ends of the wooden cross, which rested on the shoulder, as seen in the figure of the gladiator who plays a similar trumpet, in one of the paintings now destroyed from the podium of the amphitheatre.

Near the mouth was a large bronze wire, in two trumpets bronze and in one iron, which was fixed to the wooden cross piece. They were broken in some parts when discovered, but with easy restoration would be put back in pristine condition.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1884, p. 52-3.

According to Mau, these were found in V.2.c room “b”.

See Bullettino dell’Instituto di Corrispondenza Archeologica (DAIR), 1885, p. 252, below.

According to Della Corte, they were excavated in the caupona found immediately to the south of the posticum of the Casa di Albucio Celso.

See Della Corte, M., 1965. Case ed Abitanti di Pompei. Napoli: Fausto Fiorentino, p. 108.

According to Liselotte Eschebach they were found in V.2.e.

See Eschebach, L., 1993. Gebäudeverzeichnis und Stadtplan der antiken Stadt Pompeji. Köln: Böhlau.

V.2.c Pompeii? October 2023. Two bronze horns - Cornu – from Pompeii (inv. 5652 and 5653).

The trumpet, (inv. 76892), was found in the Vesuvian area. Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella.

On display in “L’altra MANN” exhibition, October 2023, at Naples Archaeological Museum.

V.2.c Pompeii. December 2007. Room “b”. Rear of room and doorway to room “c”.

V.2.c Pompeii. December 2007. Room “c”, which was once the kitchen.

Looking towards rear of room and doorway to room “d”.

In the south-west corner were traces of lararium painting.

In the south-east corner, between the two doors, was a fusorium, missing its hearth, probably, removed in antiquity.

Also found were some amphora, one with the inscription in red M · I · L, and six others with inscriptions, a small amphora and a bowl made of clay.

Also in this house, according to Boyce, there was a second faded lararium painting in the south-west corner of the second room behind the bar. [=”c”?]

Each wall in the corner, the south and the west, had a panel of white stucco.

On each was painted a serpent approaching the altar.

Presumably, in the corner between them would have been the altar.

Above the serpents were garlands.

See Boyce G. K., 1937. Corpus of the Lararia of Pompeii. Rome: MAAR 14. (p.36, no.100). 

V.2.c Pompeii. December 2007. Room “d”, cubiculum. Looking towards rear of room.

Cubiculum “d” had a wooden threshold.

The south and east walls had a simple decoration to the height of 1.50 m., above the wall was covered with rough plaster, and so were the entire north and west walls.

In the corner to the right of the entrance were two shelves.

In the back of the left wall was a recess for the short side of a bed.

The possible use of the room was indicated by the graffito on the right wall.

HIC FVTVI(t)

XIX KSIIP XIII K SII

According to Epigraphik-Datenbank Clauss/Slaby (See www.manfredclauss.de) this reads

Hic futui

XIX K(alendas) Sep(tembres) XIII K(alendas) Sep(tembres)       [CIL IV, 4260]

See Bullettino dell’Instituto di Corrispondenza Archeologica (DAIR), 1885, p. 253

V.2.c Pompeii. December 2007. Room “d”, cubiculum.

Looking south into recess with two shelves in south-west corner.

See Bullettino dell’Instituto di Corrispondenza Archeologica (DAIR), 1885, p.250-253.

V.2.c Pompeii. May 2005. Entrance.

Looking east along entrance corridor “a” towards rooms “c” and “d” beyond atrium “b”. 

V.2.c Pompeii. Plan from BdI, No. 11 is V.2.b, No. 10 is V.2.c.

See Bullettino dell’Instituto di Corrispondenza Archeologica (DAIR), 1885, p.157.

V.2.c is shown as No.10. V.2.b is shown as No.11.

See Bullettino dell’Instituto di Corrispondenza Archeologica (DAIR), 1885, page 250.

V.2.c Pompeii. Copy of Bullettino dell’Instituto di Corrispondenza Archeologica (DAIR), 1885, p. 251.

References to V.2.b are shown as No.11.

V.2.c Pompeii. Copy of Bullettino dell’Instituto di Corrispondenza Archeologica (DAIR), 1885, p. 252.

V.2.c Pompeii. Copy of Bullettino dell’Instituto di Corrispondenza Archeologica (DAIR), 1885, p. 253.