VII.16.15 Pompeii. Casa di Umbricius Scaurus (I) or House of Aulus Umbricius Scaurus, Father and Son (I).

Linked to VII.16.12, VII.16.13, VII.16.14, VII.16.16.

Part 2      Part 3      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 our 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 or to the aerial image on Google Earth.

VII.16.15 Pompeii. October 2019. Looking west towards entrance doorway/corridor and into atrium, with view over Bay of Naples.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VII.16.15 Pompeii, on left. May 2024.

Looking north in Vicolo del Gigante towards entrance doorways to VII.16.15 and VII.16.16. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

VII.16.15 Pompeii. October 2019. Looking west towards entrance doorway.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VII.16.15 Pompeii. December 2005. Room 1, entrance fauces or corridor.

VII.16.15 Pompeii. October 2019. Room 1, looking west across mosaic in entrance corridor/fauces.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VII.16.15 Pompeii. December 2007. Room 1, entrance fauces or corridor, looking west across atrium.

VII.16.15 Pompeii. December 2007. Room 1, entrance fauces mosaic.

VII.16.15 Pompeii. December 2007.  Room 1, entrance fauces mosaic.

VII.16.15 Pompeii. December 2007.  Room 1, entrance fauces mosaic.

VII.16.15 Pompeii. October 2019. Room 2, looking west across atrium.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VII.16.15 Pompeii. October 2019. Room 2, looking towards rooms on south side of atrium.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

VII.16.15 Pompeii. September 2005. Room 2, looking west across impluvium in atrium.

The impluvium had one of the Garum mosaics in each corner.

In the Atrium at each corner of the impluvium was a black and white mosaic of an amphora with a Latin inscription for the four Roman fish sauces. 

Three of the four amphorae name Aulus Umbricius Scaurus, the wealthy Pompeian Garum producer and merchant.

According to Clarke these had the inscriptions

    G(ari) F(los) SCO(mbri) / SCAURI / EX OFFI(CI) / NA SCAU / RI

    LIQUA(men) / FLOS

    G(ari) F(los) SCOM(bri) / SCAURI

    LIQUAMEN / OPTIMUM / EX OFFICIN / A SCAURI

See Clarke, J. R. in Dobbins, J. J. and Foss, P. W., 2008. The World of Pompeii. Oxford: Routledge. (p. 330).

According to Curtis, beginning in the lower right, the mosaic urcei with labels appear (and he translates) as follows:

   1) G(ari) F(los) SCO[m]/ SCAURI/ EX OFFI[ci]/NA SCAU/RI       (The flower of garum, made of the mackerel, a product of Scaurus, from the shop of Scaurus)

   2) LIQU[minis]/ FLOS      (The flower of Liquamen)

   3) G[ari] F[los] SCOM[bri]/ SCAURI       (The flower of garum, made of the mackerel, a product of Scaurus)

   4) LIQUAMEN/ OPTIMUM/ EX OFFICI[n]/A SCAURI       (The best liquamen, from the shop of Scaurus)

See Curtis R. I., 1984. A personalised floor-mosaic from Pompeii. AJA Vol. 88. (pp. 557-66).

VII.16.15 Pompeii. 1964. Room 2, from corner of impluvium in atrium.

Mosaic urceus (terracotta vessel in which the fish sauce was kept) carefully cleaned and protective sand removed for the photo.

The mosaics have since been removed to the safety of the “deposits”. 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.

J64f0861

VII.16.15 Pompeii.  Room 2, atrium from corner of Impluvium.

Mosaic showing Garum amphora with inscription:

LIQUA(men) FLOS

SAP inventory number 15188.

See Aoyagi M. and Pappalardo U., 2006. Pompei (Regiones VI-VII) Insula Occidentalis. Napoli: Valtrend. (P. 511).

VII.16.15 Pompeii.  Room 2, atrium from corner of Impluvium. Detail of mosaic showing Garum amphora with inscription.

LIQUA(men) FLOS

SAP inventory number 15188.

VII.16.15 Pompeii. 1964.

Room 2, mosaic urceus from corner of impluvium in atrium. 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.

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VII.16.15 Pompeii.  Room 2, atrium from corner of Impluvium.

Detail of mosaic showing Garum amphora with inscription:

G(ari) F(los) SCOM(bri) SCAURI

SAP inventory number 15189.

See Aoyagi M. and Pappalardo U., 2006. Pompei (Regiones VI-VII) Insula Occidentalis. Napoli: Valtrend. (P. 511).

VII.16.15 Pompeii.  Room 2, atrium from corner of Impluvium.

Detail of mosaic showing Garum amphora with inscription:

G(ari) F(los) SCOM(bri) SCAURI

SAP inventory number 15189.

See Aoyagi M. and Pappalardo U., 2006. Pompei (Regiones VI-VII) Insula Occidentalis. Napoli: Valtrend. (P. 511).

VII.16.15 Pompeii. 1964.

Room 2, atrium. Mosaic being uncovered for the photo by Dr Giordano and his workers. 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.

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VII.16.15 Pompeii. 1964. Room 2, from corner of impluvium in atrium.

Mosaic urceus (terracotta vessel in which the fish sauce was kept) carefully cleaned and protective sand removed for the photo.

The mosaics have since been removed to the safety of the “deposits”. 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.

J64f0853

VII.16.15 Pompeii. 1964. Room 2, from corner of impluvium in atrium.

Mosaic urceus (terracotta vessel in which the fish sauce was kept) carefully cleaned and protective sand removed for the photo.

The mosaics have since been removed to the safety of the “deposits”. 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.

J64f0858

VII.16.15 Pompeii. 1964.

Room 2, mosaic urceus from corner of impluvium in atrium. 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.

J64f0859

VII.16.15 Pompeii.  Room 2, atrium from corner of Impluvium.

Detail of mosaic showing Garum amphora with inscription:

G(ari) F(los) SCO(mbri) SCAURI EX OFFI(CI)NA SCAURI

SAP inventory number 15190.

See Aoyagi M. and Pappalardo U., 2006. Pompei (Regiones VI-VII) Insula Occidentalis. Napoli: Valtrend. (P. 511).

VII.16.15 Pompeii. 1964. Room 2, from corner of impluvium in atrium.

Mosaic urceus (terracotta vessel in which the fish sauce was kept) carefully cleaned and protective sand removed for the photo.

The mosaics have since been removed to the safety of the “deposits”. 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.

J64f0855

VII.16.15 Pompeii. 1964. 

Room 2, mosaic urceus from corner of impluvium in atrium. 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.

J64f0854

VII.16.15 Pompeii. Room 2, atrium from corner of Impluvium. 

Undated photograph of mosaic showing Garum amphora with inscription.

According to Clarke the fourth mosaic had the inscription:

LIQUAMEN / OPTIMUM / EX OFFICIN / A SCAURI

See Clarke, J. R. in Dobbins, J. J. and Foss, P. W., 2008. The World of Pompeii. Oxford: Routledge. (p. 330).

The pattern on the mosaic with SAP inventory number 15191 matches that in the bottom half of this photograph.

VII.16.15 Pompeii.  March 2009. Room 2, atrium from corner of Impluvium.

Detail of part of mosaic showing garum amphora with illegible inscription.

According to Esposito the fourth mosaic was incomplete at the time of the excavation and the inscription was illegible.

SAP inventory number 15191.

See Esposito in Aoyagi M. and Pappalardo U., 2006. Pompei (Regiones VI-VII) Insula Occidentalis. Napoli: Valtrend. (P. 511).

VII.16.15 Pompeii. December 2007. Room 2, looking north-east across site of impluvium in atrium.

Part 2      Part 3      VII.16.15/16 Casa di Umbricius Scaurus (I) plan      VII.16.13/12/14 Casa di Umbricius Scaurus (II) plan