I.1.2 Pompeii. Popina or Bar. Excavated 1872.

I.1.2 Pompeii. September 2018. Looking east to entrance, from Via Stabiana. Photo courtesy of Aude Durand.

I.1.2 Pompeii. September 2010. Looking east to entrance, from Via Stabiana. Photo courtesy of Drew Baker.

I.1.2 Pompeii, on right. 1966. Looking east from Via Stabiana. 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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I.1.2 Pompeii. September 2005. South side of exterior wall, between I.1.2 and I.1.1, looking east.

I.1.2 Pompeii. September 2010.

North side of exterior wall, dividing I.1.2 and I.1.3, looking east. Photo courtesy of Drew Baker.

I.1.2 Pompeii. September 2018. Looking south-east across podiums in bar room. Photo courtesy of Aude Durand.

On the right (south) wall of the shop room, there used to be a painted lararium (now destroyed).

According to Boyce, the Genius with cornucopia on left, and patera on right was pouring a libation upon a round altar which stood to his right: to the left was a Lar holding rhyton and situla and still further to the left was a serpent: to the right the plaster had already fallen: across the top of the painting was a garland with the head of Medusa in the centre.

See Boyce G. K., 1937. Corpus of the Lararia of Pompeii. Rome: MAAR 14.  (p.21)

According to Fiorelli on an opposite wall in the guise of a Penate, one saw the image of Bacchus supported on a column, with thyrsus, and perhaps a cup, with panther nearby.

See Pappalardo, U., 2001. La Descrizione di Pompei per Giuseppe Fiorelli (1875). Napoli: Massa Editore. (p.33).

I.1.2 Pompeii. ADS 1. Drawing by Geremia Discanno of three drawings from Reg. I.

Written beneath,

Top left – upper floor of a house facing the corridor of the theatre, Via Stabiana, (perhaps 1.2.6 or 1.2.10?).

Top right – second shop after the Stabian Gate, I.1.2, (Sogliano 161).

Below – second shop, as above. (Sogliano 19).

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number ADS 1.

Photo © ICCD. https://www.catalogo.beniculturali.it

Utilizzabili alle condizioni della licenza Attribuzione - Non commerciale - Condividi allo stesso modo 2.5 Italia (CC BY-NC-SA 2.5 IT)

See Sogliano, A., 1879. Le pitture murali campane scoverte negli anni 1867-79. Napoli: Giannini. (p.38, no.161, and p.11, no.19).

According to Kuivalainen, describing the painting on the top right –

“On the left, a youth is standing with his weight on his right foot. He wears a violet himation over his back and across his left thigh; he leans with his left arm on a dark blue pillar. On the right stands (?) a panther with dark spots on yellowish fur, his hind legs and long tail visible, facing the figure. There seem to be rocks in the landscape.”

See Kuivalainen, I., 2021. The Portrayal of Pompeian Bacchus. Commentationes Humanarum Litterarum 140. Helsinki: Finnish Society of Sciences and Letters, (p.107, C1).

I.1.2 Pompeii. September 2005.  Looking east from Via Stabia, towards entrance.

On the left can be seen the remains of the podium or sales counter, that used to contain 3 clay urns.

I.1.2 Pompeii. June 2006. Looking across the counter area. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.

I.1.2 Pompeii. September 2018.

Looking east, at front, remains of podium in selling room. At the rear are entrances to two rear rooms. Photo courtesy of Aude Durand.

I.1.2 Pompeii. September 2005. In front, remains of podium in selling room. At the rear are entrances to two rear rooms.

The one on the left (north side) was the dining room for the customers and had painted walls, where one could have a glimpse of a painting of Phryxus sitting on a ram, extending his hand to Helle to pull her from the waves. (No longer visible).

The other larger rustic room, on the south, contained the kitchen with hearth, the latrine and steps to the upper floor dwelling.

See Pappalardo, U., 2001. La Descrizione di Pompei per Giuseppe Fiorelli (1875). Napoli: Massa Editore. (p.33)

I.1.2 Pompeii. September 2010. North side, left hand side, of entrance looking east. Photo courtesy of Drew Baker.

I.1.2 Pompeii. September 2010. South side, right hand side, of entrance looking east. Photo courtesy of Drew Baker.

I.1.2 Pompeii. June 2006. Looking east from entrance. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.

I.1.2 Pompeii. September 2010.

Looking east across counter against the north wall, with three clay urns. Photo courtesy of Drew Baker.

I.1.2 Pompeii. September 2010. Looking north across counter. Photo courtesy of Drew Baker.

I.1.2 Pompeii. September 2010. Doorway to rear room in north-east corner, perhaps for the use of customers.

Looking towards east wall, on which the remains of a painting of Apollo would have been seen. Photo courtesy of Drew Baker.

According to Warscher, quoting Mau in Bull. Inst 1875, p.26,

“Dietro alla bottega a destra vi è la spaziosa cucina con focolare e cesso, a sinistra una stanza larga 2,96, profonda 5,24, dipinta negligentemente nello stile degli ultimi tempi di Pompei: i colori predominanti sono rosso nello zoccolo, giallo nella parte media, bianco in quella superiore. 

Sul muro di S troviamo un quadro alto 0,30, largo 0,40, rappresentante la morte di Elle.  Il fondo è tutto riempito di color turchino che rappresenta il mare. Sull’ariete che corre verso destra, sta seduto Frisso, rivolto allo spettatore e la coscia destra, come pare, coperta d’una veste bianca, tenendosi colla sinistra al collo dell’ariete, mentre stende la destra ad Elle, che dietro l’ariete affonda nel mare, alzando verso il fratello ambedue le mani.

Sul muro di E un altro quadro molto mal conservato, alto 0,38, ed altrettanto largo, ci mostra Apolline ritto in piede e rivolto a sinistra, verso la qual parte stende la man destra, mentre sopra la spalla sinistra molto svanita ma con sufficiente vertezza si scorge la lira.  La posizione elevata della lira ed il confronto delle pitture 180 e 201 (helbig) ci lasciano supporre, che essa fosse appoggiata sopra una base o un pilastro. Dal movimento del braccio destro si potrà conghietturare, che nella parte sinistra del quadro fosse ancora un’altra figura, alla quale il deo si rivolgesse.

L’esecuzione di ambedue le pitture per quanto la cattiva conservazione ci permette di giudicare, pare piuttosto trascurata, il che convien bene col fatto, che essi sono sovraposti al color giallo della parete, mentre per eseguire una pittura con maggiore diligenza per lo più o si metteva un intonaco fresco dopo terminata la parte decorativa della parete, o almeno se ne lasciava libero lo spazio”.

See Warscher T., 1936. Codex Topographicus Pompeianus: Regio I.1, I.5. Rome: DAIR, whose copyright it remains. (no: a, after no.11)

(translation:

Behind the shop to the right there was the spacious kitchen with hearth and toilet, to the left a room 2,96 wide, by 5,24 deep, carelessly painted in the style of the last days of Pompeii: the predominant colours were red on the zoccolo, yellow in the middle part, white at the top. On the south wall, a painting of the death of Helle, O, 30 high, 0, 40 wide, could be seen. The bottom was all filled with blue colour representing the sea. On the ram that moved to the right sat Phrixus, facing to the viewer and the right thigh, as it seemed, covered in a white robe, keeping his left hand around the neck of the ram, while extending the right hand to Helle, who behind the ram sinks into the sea, raising both hands to her brother.  On the east wall, there was another picture very poorly preserved, 0,38 high, and equally wide, showing Apollo standing and turned to the left, extending his right hand, whilst over the left shoulder, very faded but with sufficient to perceive the lyre. The elevated position of the lyre and the comparison of paintings 180 and 201 (Helbig) suggested that it was placed above a base or a pillar. By the movement of his right arm, which may be conjectural that on the left side of the picture was yet another figure, to whom the god turned. The execution of both paintings as far as the bad conservation allows us to judge, seemed rather neglected, by the fact that they were overlapping onto the yellow of the wall, whether to execute a painting with greater diligence for the most, or put fresh plaster on after you finish the decorative part of the wall, or at least leave space for it.")

I.1.2 Pompeii. September 2010. Looking west from rear room, across bar room to Via Stabiana. Photo courtesy of Drew Baker.

According to Mau, this room would have been decorated with a zoccolo mainly painted red, the middle of the walls would have been painted yellow, and the upper parts were white. On the south wall (on the left) would have been the painting showing Phryxus and the death of Helle.

I.1.2 Pompeii. September 2010.

Detail window/niche on south side of doorway, looking west. Photo courtesy of Drew Baker.

I.1.2 Pompeii. September 2010.

Doorway to large room on south side of customers’ room.  Photo courtesy of Drew Baker.

According to Fiorelli this contained the hearth, the latrine and a staircase to the upper floor.

I.1.2 Pompeii. September 2010. Doorway from large room, looking west into bar-room.

The hearth? can be seen on the south side of the doorway.  Photo courtesy of Drew Baker.

I.1.2 Pompeii. September 2010. Detail of feature, south of the doorway. Photo courtesy of Drew Baker.

I.1.2 Pompeii. September 2010. West wall and south-west corner of large room. Photo courtesy of Drew Baker.

I.1.2 Pompeii. September 2010. South-east corner of large room. Looking south. Photo courtesy of Drew Baker.

In Codex Topographicus Pompeianus: Regio I.1/I.5, (the copy at DAIR), Warscher included Viola’s description of the insula, from

Gli scavi di Pompei dal 1873 al 1878, introduzione (Pompei e la regione sotterrata dal Vesuvio nell’anno 1879, Napoli, 1879).

This is included at the end in all parts of I.1 on the website.

“Parlando dell’Insula I, Regio I – dicevo che in origine essa dovette essere unita all’isola V, la quale ha ricevuto questo numero sol perchè scavata posteriormente alle altre quattro della stessa regione.  La causa per cui questo spazio fu per mezzo di un vico diviso in due parti noi la ignoriamo, laddove non si può porre in dubbio che tutta questa seconda parte dovette appartenere a un solo proprietario, perchè quasi tutta occupata da un solo edifizio; che le altre due ristrettissima località furono ricavate posteriormente.

La sua area è di m.q. 1595-72: ed è limitata a settentrione dalla via tertia, che la separa dalla isola 2, ad oriente ed occidente da due vicoli privi di selciato, e a mezzogiorno dell’agger che fiancheggia le mura; senza dubbio essa faceva parte de’quartieri ignobili della città, almeno per quanto può congettarsi dal mestiere che vi si esercitasse e della rozzezza della costruzione.  Anche quivi avvennero frequenti trasformazioni, come affermano gli avanzi di costruzioni appartenenti a diverse epoche.

Come si vede dalla prefazione del prof. Viola – fu un malintese con la numerazione delle insulae della Regio I: non si aspettava che vi fosse un vicolo che separa l’insula I dell’insula vicina, e a questa altra fu dato il numero 5 – poichè i numeri 2, 3 e 4 sono stati dati alle insulae scavate prima.  Ma io sono dell’opinione che sia meglio non cambiare i numeri una volta dati, poichè sarebbe troppo difficile di orientarsi nei rendiconti contemporanei agli scavi.

Il vicolo che separa l’insula I della insula 5 – dà l’impressione di un passaggio stretto, nessuna porta, nessuna finestra non danno in questo vicolo.

La mia fotografia è molto tipica per l’insula intiera: muri di tufo o di pietra di Sarno completati nell’epoca tardiva di mattoni; non è possibile di seguire i cambiamenti che avevano luogo nell’insula in questione.  Noi abbiamo, come si vede tre case con thermopolia, cauponae per la gente povera.

Non è rimasta niente della pittura murale”.

See Warscher T., 1935. Codex Topographicus Pompeianus: Regio I.1/I.5. Rome: DAIR.