VII.16.16 Pompeii. Casa di Umbricius Scaurus (I) or House of Aulus Umbricius Scaurus, Father and Son (I).

Side entrance. Linked to VII.16.12, VII.16.13, VII.16.14 and VII.16.15.

Excavated 1851, 1871, 1958. Unnumbered on Eschebach site plan.

 

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

 

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 damaged by bombing on 13th September 1943. They are in a derelict and dangerous state 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.16.16 Pompeii. September 2004. Entrance doorway from road.

 

VII.16.16 Pompeii. December 2005.The doorway to room 4 is on the right, immediately behind the wooden post.

 

VII.16.16 Pompeii. September 2004. Room 3 looking west through doorway to the atrium of VII.16.15.

 

VII.16.16 Pompeii. December 2007.

Looking north across remains of room 4, along inside of front wall on Vicolo del Gigante.

 

VII.16.16 Pompeii. December 2007.

Looking north from room 4 towards the east end of rooms 15 and 16 on the lower level.

 

VII.16.16 Pompeii. September 2004. East end of rooms 15 and 16 on the lower level

 

VII.16.16 Pompeii. September 2004. Looking north-west across rooms 15 and 16 towards room 18 with the brick pillars.

 

VII.16.16 Pompeii. September 2004.

Looking west along site of rooms on the north side of room 2 atrium and rooms 15 and 16 towards room 17.

 

Front wall of VII.16.16 in Vicolo del Gigante. September 2004.

 

Front wall of VII.16.16 in Vicolo del Gigante. September 2004.

 

VII.15.2. December 2006.         Vicolo del Gigante.            Wall of VII.16.16.

 

Vicolo del Gigante and wall of VII.16.16 Pompeii.

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

 

VII.16.16 Pompeii. May 2006. Looking west across rooms 18, 19, 20 and 21 on the lower level.

This photograph is indicative of the dangerous state of parts of this house.

The floor of room 19 has collapsed into a lower level room.

There is also scaffolding supporting the outer wall.

The collapse has revealed what appears to be a doorway into the level below these rooms.

In the front of the photograph are parts of rooms 23 and 22.

On our last visit in May 2010 there appeared to be some restoration work commencing.

 

VII.16.16 Pompeii. May 2010. Looking east to unnumbered area at rear of VII.16.16 and VII.16.15.

On our last visit in May 2010 there appeared to be some restoration work commencing.

 

VII.16.16/15 Pompeii. May 2011. Looking east from rear. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.

 

Unnumbered area at rear of VII.16.16 and VII.16.15. December 2006.

This shows the house was built over the city walls which were no longer needed.

This part of Pompeii was the location of several houses of wealthy people.

Like the House of Umbricius Scaurus, a number of the houses here had several floor levels and views of the sea.

 

VII.16.16 Pompeii. May 2010. Unnumbered area at rear of VII.16.16.

On our last visit in May 2010 there appeared to be some restoration work commencing.

 

VII.16.16/15/13 Pompeii. May 2011. Looking east from rear. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.

 

VII.16 Pompeii. May 2011. Looking south-east across rear of VII.16.16, and VII.16.15.

Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.

 

 

 

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