I.2.4 Pompeii. Shop. Linked to I.2.3. Excavated 1872. Bombed in 1943.

I.2.4 Pompeii. October 2024. Looking north-east from Via Stabiana towards entrance doorway. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

1.2.4 Pompeii. September 2010. Entrance doorway, looking east from Via Stabiana. Photo courtesy of Drew Baker.

Warscher described this as –

I.2.4 “Una taberna, che prima aveva due entrata, dipendeva come quella del no. I.2.2 dalla casa precedente, dal cui atrio fu separato un locale più interno, mercè di sottili mura sostenute da legnami, per destinarlo forse al trattenimento degli avventori.”

1.2.4 Pompeii. Copy of graffito found on the front wall.

According to Warscher, quoting Fiorelli,

“Quivi sulle parete di fronte leggesi graffito:  (as seen above, CIL IV, 3885, 1909, Suppl.2, p. 499) con esempio non frequento di parole latine, scritte in lettere greche.

See Warscher T., 1935. Codex Topographicus Pompeianus: Regio I.2. (after photo no.12), Rome: DAIR, whose copyright it remains.

See Pappalardo, U., 2001. La Descrizione di Pompei per Giuseppe Fiorelli (1875). Napoli: Massa Editore. (p.34), or see Fiorelli’s: Descrizione, p.38.

I.2.4 Pompeii.  September 2005. Entrance doorway.

I.2.4 Pompeii. December 2006. Looking east across shop, towards the ruined wall separating it from the atrium of I.2.3. 

I.2.4 Pompeii. October 2024.

Looking towards north wall of shop-room, with north-west corner of atrium of I.2.3, behind low ruined wall. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

1.2.4 Pompeii. September 2010. Looking east from entrance doorway. Photo courtesy of Drew Baker.

1.2.4 Pompeii. October 2024. Looking towards south wall of shop-room. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

1.2.4 Pompeii. September 2010. Looking west from rear of shop, towards doorway and Via Stabiana. Photo courtesy of Drew Baker.

I.2.4 Pompeii. May 2005. Via Stabiana, entrances on the east side. I.2.4 is in the centre of the photo.

In Codex Topographicus Pompeianus: Regio I.2, (the copy at DAIR), Warscher included Viola’s description of the insula, from

Gli scavi di Pompei dal 1873 al 1878, p.10 (Pompei e la regione sotterrata dal Vesuvio nell’anno 1879, Seconda parte.

This is included at the end in all parts of I.2 on the website.

“Nel dicembre del 1873 incomminciò lo scavo di questa isola – quale dovette essere abitata da moltissime persone. Infatti non si vede grande lusso di abitazioni, nè grandi locali, ove i ricchi pompeiani passavano la vita nell’ozio e nel piacere; si può invece osservare grand’economia di spazio, case piccole miste a botteghe e ad officine, onde non è difficile argomentare che quivi abitarono persone del ceto medio, le quali benchè agiate non godevano certamente della più splendide posizione.

E’ questa un’isola dove avennero frequentissime trasformazioni, per cui riesce difficillissimo intravvedere qual’era la sua forma primiera; non mancano però degli avanzi di costruzioni primitive, insieme ad altri di epoca posteriore, come si osserva in molti luoghi di Pompei.

La sua area è di mq.2948, ed è limitata da occidente dal cardo, a settentrione dalla via secunda, ad oriente dal vico parallelo al cardo e a mezzogiorno dalla via tertia che la separa dalle isole 1 e 5; il margine che la fiancheggia da tre lati escluso l’orientale e sulla via tertia di fronte al vano No.28 si vede un piccolo ponte, formato da massi posti a contrasto, il quale serve per unire i due margine (vedi la fotografia no.42c)”.

(Note: photo (no.42c) can be seen at I.5.1, I.2.28 and in the “streets” section under Vicolo del Conciapelle). 

(translation: "In December of 1873 the excavation of this insula began – which would have been inhabited by many people. In fact you don't see great luxury homes, nor large rooms, where rich Pompeian passed life in idleness and pleasure; if you instead look at the great economy of space, small homes and shops mixed with workshops, it's not difficult to argue that here lived people in the middle class, which however well-to-do they certainly did not enjoy the most splendid position.

This was an insula where there were frequent transformations, for which it is difficult to glimpse what was the original form; it does not lack however, the remains of primitive constructions, alongside others of a later date, as can be seen in many places in Pompeii.

Its area was 2948 sq. m., and was bounded on the west by the “cardo”, on the north by via secunda, and east by a parallel vicolo to the “cardo” and in the south by the via tertia, that separated it from Insula’s 1 and 5:  the border that flanked it by three sides excluding the east and on via tertia opposite No. 28, you will see a small bridge, formed by a boulder placed to serve to unite the two edges, (see photo No. 42 c)."

See Warscher T., 1935. Codex Topographicus Pompeianus: Regio I.2. Rome: DAIR.