VII.16.12 Pompeii. Casa di Umbricius Scaurus (II) or House of Aulus Umbricius Scaurus, Father and Son (II).

Side entrance. Linked to VII.16.13, VII.16.14, VII.16.15 and VII.16.16.

 

We have only been able to locate a relatively small amount of published information on houses VII.16.12/13/14/15/16 and no comprehensive plan in a general textbook, though some partial plans have been published.

The main source is Aoyagi M. and Pappalardo U. et al, 2006. Pompei (Regiones VI-VII) Insula Occidentalis. Napoli: Valtrend. This is a specialised work and much more expensive than a generally available textbook. It does contain plans.

We have generated two outline sketch plans based on that in Bragantini, de Vos, Badoni, 1986. Pitture e Pavimenti di Pompei, Parte 3. Rome: ICCD.

This treats the five houses as two houses.

VII.16.15 and 16 are in the first house [Casa di Umbricius Scaurus (I)] with rooms numbered from 1 to 37.

VII.16.12, 13 and 14 are in the second house [Casa di Umbricius Scaurus (II)] with rooms numbered from 1 to 50.

 

We have devised two separate plans on these lines.

The house and the remaining rooms are on two levels, a fact not obvious from some plans. However rooms 38 and 39 may be on a second lower level.

We have indicated the room number under each photograph. The level is shown in the text under the first photograph for the room.

We have verified our plans by our own observations and photographs

Some rooms have collapsed or the floors are dangerous so it was not possible to visit all parts to verify the plan.

 

These houses were in a derelict and dangerous state and were damaged by bombing in 1943 and are not open to the public.

Restoration work has been in progress in 2010 and 2011 on some parts of the houses.

 

Please be aware that existing plans, including ours, may not correspond exactly to what is on the ground, and also may not correspond to the aerial image on Google Earth.

 

VII.16.13/12/14 Casa di Umbricius Scaurus (II) plan      VII.16.15/16 Casa di Umbricius Scaurus (I) plan

 

VII.16.12 Pompeii. September 2005. Entrance doorway, looking west.

 

VII.16.12 Pompeii. September 2005. Room 24, looking west across atrium.

At the rear of the atrium are two rooms. On the left is room 26 which was a cubiculum.

In the centre is room 25, a closed tablinum.

On the right is area 27, with entry to lower rooms.

On the left side of the atrium, according to Eschebach, there would have been steps to the upper floor.

See Eschebach, L., 1993. Gebäudeverzeichnis und Stadtplan der antiken Stadt Pompeji. Köln: Böhlau. (p. 348).

 

VII.16.12 Pompeii. September 2005. Room 24, impluvium in atrium.

 

VII.16.12 Pompeii. September 2005.

Looking west from area 27 towards corridor 12, leading to lower levels of VII.16.13.

According to Boyce, found in the west wall in a rear room with the large oven, was an arched niche.

It was of irregular shape.

Its walls profusely decorated on a pinkish background with spots of many colours.

These are combined with star-like flowers on the vaulted ceiling.

See Boyce G. K., 1937. Corpus of the Lararia of Pompeii. Rome: MAAR 14. (p.73, no.339)

 

VII.15 Pompeii. September 2005. Vicolo del Gigante, looking south.    VII.16.12 on right.

 

 

 

VII.16.13/12/14 Casa di Umbricius Scaurus (II) plan      VII.16.15/16 Casa di Umbricius Scaurus (I) plan