VI.12.5 Pompeii. Entrance to Casa del Fauno or House of the Faun.

Linked to VI.12.1, VI.12.2, VI.12.3, VI.12.7 and VI.12.8.

Excavated 1829 to 1833, 1900, 1930 and 1960.

Bombed in 1943. Reconstructed in 1945. (Strada della Fortuna 52).

Part 1      Part 2      Part 3      Part 4      Part 5      Part 6      Plan

Secondary Atrium 7

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 30th September 2015.

Looking north-east across columns around impluvium, with two on south side, centre right.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017. 

Looking north across impluvium in Secondary Atrium towards north-east corner with base of money chest on right.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017. Looking north along east side of impluvium.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 4th January 2017.

Looking north from entrance corridor towards two columns on east side of impluvium in Atrium 7.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017.

Looking east across south side of impluvium in Atrium 7, with column in south-west corner, in centre.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017.

Looking west towards south-west corner and column on south-west side of impluvium.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017.

Looking west towards column across south-west corner of impluvium, towards doorways to rooms 10, and West Ala 11, into VI.12.2. 

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017. Looking towards capital on column in south-west corner of impluvium.  

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. December 2006. Detail of capital of column in the atrium 7.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017. Looking towards column base of column in south-west corner of impluvium.  

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017.

Looking north-west towards column on north-west side of impluvium.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017. Detail of capital from column on north-west side of impluvium.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017.

Looking north across east side of atrium 7, towards column on north-east side.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.2.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017. Looking towards column in north-east corner of Atrium 7.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.2.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017. Detail of capital on column in north-east corner of Atrium 7.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. December 2006. Detail of capital of column in the atrium 7.

VI.2.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017.

Looking towards column base in north-east corner of Atrium 7.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017.

Looking east across south side of atrium 7, towards column on south-east side.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017.

Looking towards column base in south-east corner of atrium 7. 

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017. Looking north across impluvium in atrium.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017. North side of impluvium in Secondary Atrium 7.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017. Detail from north side of impluvium in Secondary Atrium 7.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017. Detail from north side of impluvium in Secondary Atrium 7, looking west.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017. Looking north-west across impluvium in Atrium 7, with West Ala on left, behind column.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017. South-west side of atrium 7, stone bases outside doorway to room 10, looking west.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017. South-west side of atrium 7, detail of stone base and flooring.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017. South-west side of atrium 7, detail of stone base and flooring, looking north.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017. South-west side of atrium 7, detail of stone base and flooring, looking west.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017. Looking north across flooring on north-west side of Secondary Atrium7.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017. North-west corner of Secondary Atrium 7.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017. Stone base near west wall on north-west side of Secondary Atrium 7.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017. Detail of stone base near west wall in north-west corner of Secondary Atrium 7.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017. Looking south-west across flooring on north-west side of Secondary Atrium.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017. Looking north in north-west corner of Secondary Atrium 7, with doorway to Corridor 16, on right.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017. Two halves of base of money chest in north-west corner of Secondary Atrium 7, looking north.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.2/5 Pompeii. 1932. Money chest base. Found in the north-west corner of the secondary atrium.

According to Pernice, this was a base of a money chest made of tuff. It is narrower in the middle and has two holes in it.

It must have broken in ancient times because it was reassembled with two dovetail clamps that no longer exist.

Today [1932] the block is probably still in situ, broken into two pieces again.

Numerous traces of rust from the iron fittings on the surface; the centre section of the stone was so weak due to grooves and holes that it broke crosswise at one point (perhaps during its first relocation).

See Pernice, E., 1932. Hellenistische Tische, Zisternenmündungen, Beckenuntersätze, Altäre u. Truhen. Berlin, p. 74, Taf. 44.4.

DAIR 32.1091. Photo © Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, Abteilung Rom, Arkiv.

According to Niccolini, there was a wooden chest with some bronze ornamentation, which fell apart during excavation. 

See Niccolini F, 1854. Le case ed i monumenti di Pompei: Volume Primo. Napoli, Casa del Fauno, p. 12.

Thanks to Espen B. Andersson for assisting us in our interest in money-chests.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017.

Part of money chest base in north-west corner of Secondary Atrium 7, looking north.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017. Money chest base in north-west corner of Secondary Atrium 7, looking west.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017. Remains of base near north wall in north-west corner of Secondary Atrium 7, looking east.

According to Pernice, this base of a money chest is made of tuff. It is narrower in the middle and has two holes in it.

It must have broken in ancient times because it was reassembled with two dovetail clamps that no longer exist.

See Pernice, E., 1932. Hellenistische Tische, Zisternenmündungen, Beckenuntersätze, Altäre u. Truhen. Berlin, p. 74, Taf. 44.4.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017. Part of the money chest base in north-west side of Secondary Atrium 7, looking east.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017. Detail of base in north-west corner of Secondary Atrium 7.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017. Detail of bases in north-west corner of Secondary Atrium 7.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. Pre-1943. Base for safe/money chest?

According to Warscher –

“If, as I believe, this slab of rosy marble served as a base for the safe, the elegance of the house had to be really refined.

In fact, only a narrow border would have been visible of that slab and most would remain hidden.”

(Se veramente, come io credo, questa lastra di marmo roseo serviva da basamento alla cassaforte, l’eleganza della casa doveva essere davvero raffinatissima. Infatti di tale lastra sarebbe stata visibile solamente uno stretto bordo e la maggior parte sarebbe rimasta nascosta.)

See Warscher, T. (1946). Casa del Fauno, Swedish Institute, Rome. (p.59).

According to Mau,

“Two money chests stood on large flat stones in the rear corners of this atrium 7.”

See Mau, A. (1901). Pompeii, its life and art. (p.296).

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017. Detail of flooring from Secondary Atrium 7.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 1968.

Looking north across atrium 7 and impluvium towards corridor in VI.12.2, on eastern side.

Photo by Stanley A. Jashemski.

Source: The Wilhelmina and Stanley A. Jashemski archive in the University of Maryland Library, Special Collections (See collection page) and made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial License v.4. See Licence and use details.

J68f1314

VI.12.5 Pompeii. Pre-1937-39.

Looking north-east across atrium 7 and impluvium with corridor in VI.12.2 on eastern side, on left.

Photo courtesy of American Academy in Rome, Photographic Archive. Warsher collection no. 032.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017. North-east corner of Secondary Atrium, looking north.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

According to Pernice, found in the north-eastern corner of the four-columned atrium was an iron-lined, chest.

Made from a single block of travertine and notched at the corners up to 18 cm deep.

These notches were filled by the feet of the box, which were bent at right angles.

This meant that the base and the box standing on it formed an inseparable unit.

The iron pin that ran from the base through the box provided additional anchoring.

See Pernice, E., 1932. Hellenistische Tische, Zisternenmündungen, Beckenuntersätze, Altäre u. Truhen. Berlin, p. 72, Taf. 43.1.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 1832 plan by Michele Rusca, engraved by Fausto Niccolini.

See Bechi, G. Relazione degli scavi di Pompei. Da maggio 1831 fino a maggio 1832 in Real Museo Borbonico Vol. VIII, (Naples 1832), pp. 1-15, Ta. A.B.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. Detail from 1832 plan by G. Bechi, Relazione degli scavi di Pompei. Da maggio 1831 fino a maggio 1832 in Real Museo Borbonico 8 (Naples 1832).

Plan of location of money chest (42) in north-east corner of four columned atrium showing hole in wall from room 45.

According to Espen B. Andersson –

The house contained two casseforti, both of which were found in the domestic part of the house. What is astonishing here is the unique arrangement pertaining to one of the chests, which stood in the northeast corner of the tetrastyle atrium (fig. 6 and fig. 7). What was observed here in Casa del Fauno, and never seen anywhere else, was an unexpected hole in the wall of a side-room (no. 45 on plan), leading directly to the inside of the money chest (no. 42 on plan). Coins could therefore be dropped into a channel running into the cassaforte from room no. 45.

The cassaforte in this domestic setting seemingly received money from local sale of wine in the city. There was no need to unlock the chest to feed it with the incoming cash. Another detail concerning the construction of the cassaforte was that anybody standing in the atrium could hear when coins were thrown into it since the chest was lined with iron.

It is conceivable that the cassaforte was either fed money after each transaction, or that it functioned as something similar to a night safe.

The side-room to the right of the cassaforte, no. 45, where the channel started, must have been the accounts room. This room was simple and demonstrated one very crucial feature: its walls had no decoration. The bare walls clearly indicate that slaves took care of the coins and monetary exchange for their master, as well as keeping the accounts. The whole process may actually have been in their hands.

In 1831, at the time of excavation, the hole in the wall into the cassaforte was documented and commented on.

Later, research has forgotten these features, and the hole seems to have been camouflaged by restoration work.

See Espen B. Andersson, 2018. The Economic Centre of Pompeii Revealed by Roman Cash Keeping, p.163-165, Fig.6-7.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017. Base for arca/money box in north-east corner of Secondary Atrium 7, looking north.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017. Detail of base for arca/money-box in north-east corner of Secondary Atrium 7, looking north.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.2/5 Pompeii. 1932. Second money chest base, seen in north-east corner of atrium.

According to Pernice –

This was found in the Casa del Fauno, directly north of the impluvium in the north-eastern corner of the four-columned atrium.

Made from a single block of travertine and notched at the corners up to 18 cm deep.

These notches were filled by the feet of the box, which were bent at right angles.

This meant that the base and the box standing on it formed an inseparable unit.

The iron pin that ran from the base through the box provided additional anchoring.

See Pernice, E., 1932. Hellenistische Tische, Zisternenmündungen, Beckenuntersätze, Altäre u. Truhen. Berlin, p. 72, Taf. 43.1.

According to Niccolini, in this house there was a wooden chest with some bronze ornamentation, which fell apart during excavation and another chest lined with iron.

See Niccolini F, 1854. Le case ed i monumenti di Pompei: Volume Primo. Napoli, Casa del Fauno, p. 12.

According to Espen B. Andersson [email] –

The chest lined with iron is described by me in my 2018 congress contribution. 

I am convinced that this is the base drawn as no.42 on Fig. 7 published in my congress contribution.

It should be concluded from how the corners of the base are drawn in the plan.

It means that this was the base that carried the cassaforte lined with iron, and communicated with room 45 through a hole in the wall.

See Espen B. Andersson, 2018. The Economic Centre of Pompeii Revealed by Roman Cash Keeping, p.163-165, Fig.6-7.

Thanks to Espen B. Andersson for assisting us in our interest in money-chests.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017. Looking east in north-east corner of Secondary Atrium 7, with arca.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017. Looking east towards base in north-east corner of Secondary Atrium 7.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017. Detail of base in north-east corner of Secondary Atrium, looking east.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017. Flooring on north-east side of Secondary Atrium 7.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017. Looking east across impluvium in atrium 7.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017. Secondary Atrium 7, looking east from impluvium.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017. Secondary Atrium 7, looking east towards cistern-mouth. 

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017. Secondary Atrium 7, cistern-mouth on east side of impluvium.  

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017. East side of impluvium in Secondary Atrium.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017. Detail from east side of impluvium in Secondary Atrium.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017. Looking north-west across impluvium.

On the south side, left, is another cistern-mouth, as well as the one on the east side, on right. 

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017. Detail of cistern-mouth on south side of impluvium in atrium 7.  

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 30th September 2015. Looking east across impluvium in Atrium 7, towards East Ala.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. December 2006. Looking east across impluvium in the Tetrastyle atrium 7.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017. Looking west across impluvium in atrium 7, towards West Ala and entrance into VI.12.2.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. September 2021.

Looking south across impluvium and atrium 7 towards entrance corridor and doorway.

Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 14th July 2017. Looking south across impluvium in atrium 7.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 4th January 2017.

Looking south across impluvium in atrium 7 towards entrance corridor.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. December 2006. Looking south across impluvium and atrium 7 to entrance.

According to Garcia y Garcia, the second of the two bombs to hit the House of the Faun fell on this secondary atrium.

The bomb caused the felling of three of the four columns, the only one remaining was that in the north-east corner.

Also destroyed were two rooms in the north-west of the same atrium.

See Garcia y Garcia, L., 2006. Danni di guerra a Pompei. Rome: L’Erma di Bretschneider. (p.83-84)

VI.12.5 Pompeii. December 2006. Looking south across atrium 7 to entrance.

VI.12.5 Pompeii. 1961.

Atrium 7, looking south across impluvium in Tetrastyle atrium 7 towards entrance doorway. 

DAIR 61.1384. Photo © Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, Abteilung Rom, Arkiv.

Part 1      Part 2      Part 3      Part 4      Part 5      Part 6      Plan