I.11.6 Pompeii. Casa della Venere in Bikini or House of Venus in the Bikini

or Domus of Maximus. Linked to I.11.7. Excavated 1913, 1952-54.

(Originally when excavated, this was numbered as Reg. II, Insula 1, no.6).

Part 1      Part 2      Part 3      Part 4      Plan

I.11.6, blocked doorway on right, with I.11.7, in centre. December 2018.

Doorways on Via dell’Abbondanza. Photo courtesy of Aude Durand.

I.11.6 Pompeii. May 2005. Entrance doorway.

I.11.7 and I.11.6 Pompeii. 1964. Entrance doorways on south side of Via dell’Abbondanza. 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.11.6 Pompeii. May 2024. Entrance doorway. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

I.11.6 Pompeii. December 2006. Entrance now closed.  

According to Della Corte in Notizie degli Scavi, on the left pilaster, above the usual whitewash, the following electoral programmes came back to light -

 in red

[Am]pliatum / [aed(ilem)] Maximus rog(at) [CIL IV 7423]

Followed lower down, written in black -

Caecilium / [ [CIL IV 7424]

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1913, (p 454)

See Epigraphik-Datenbank Clauss/Slaby (www.manfredclauss.de).

According to Della Corte in Notizie degli Scavi, 1913, found here high on the right pilaster, was an electoral programma in which the scriptor, because of lack of space on the right, wrote the name of the proposer on the left.

 in red

L(ucium) Popid[ium] // Maxim/us rog(at) // aed(ilem) [CIL IV 7419]

a little more under, was another programma written in black –

Cn Helvium Sabinum / aed(ilem) d(ignum) r(ei) p(ublicae) o(ro) v(os) f(aciatis) [CIL IV 7420]

Following also under, the programma –

 in red

Sittum Magnum IIvir(um) / o(ro) v(os) f(aciatis) [CIL IV 7421]

Through which, an older one appeared, written in black –

Lollium aed(ilem) o(ro) v(os) f(aciatis) [CIL IV 7422]

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1913, (p 415)

See Epigraphik-Datenbank Clauss/Slaby (www.manfredclauss.de).

According to Della Corte, two electoral recommendations were found here from a certain unknown Maximus –

one on the left of the entrance doorway, and one on the right of the entrance. He then lists CIL IV 7419 and CIL IV 7423. If these are to be read as being in sequence with the left and right description, then this contradicts his 1913 report in NdS.

See Della Corte, M., 1965. Case ed Abitanti di Pompei. Napoli: Fausto Fiorentino, (p.343).

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1913, (p 415)

I.11.6 Pompeii. March 2009. Interior of entrance fauces, looking north from atrium.

I.11.6 Pompeii. March 2009. East wall of entrance fauces with female bust and triangular patterned border.

I.11.6 Pompeii. March 2009. Medallion with female face from east wall of entrance fauces.

I.11.6 Pompeii. March 2009. Medallion with female face from east wall of entrance fauces.

I.11.6 Pompeii. March 2009. West wall of entrance fauces, looking north from interior.

I.11.6 Pompeii. May 2006. West wall of entrance corridor, looking south from exterior.

I.11.6 Pompeii. May 2024.

Looking south across east side of atrium and impluvium towards tablinum. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

I.11.6 Pompeii. December 2018.

Looking south across east side of atrium and impluvium towards tablinum. Photo courtesy of Aude Durand.

I.11.6 Pompeii. April 2014. Looking south across atrium and impluvium towards tablinum. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

I.11.6 Pompeii. September 2004. Looking south across atrium and impluvium, with legs of table.

I.11.6 Pompeii. May 2015.

Table supports and pedestal on which the statue of the Venus in the Bikini was probably found. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

I.11.6 Pompeii. December 2007.

Looking across atrium. Table supports and pedestal on which the statue of the Venus in the Bikini was probably found.

I.11.6 Pompeii. Marble statue of Venus in Bikini.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 152798.

The museum card shows it as being from II.4.3.

This is an abstract from “I diari di scavo di Pompei” excavation reports which cover the years from 1862 to 1980. 

Our thanks to Raffaele Prisciandaro for this reference.

(relazione del mese di gennaio 1954 sull’attività degli scavi di Pompei)

[…] Il mese di gennaio ha segnato il rinvenimento di oggetti la cui importanza si ripercuote e nella cerchia degli studiosi di arte antica e nella trepidazione della pubblica opinione. Poiché la fama del ritrovamento di una Venere abbigliata in modo unico, quasi in bikini, accende molte discussioni e sorpassa anche i confini della nostra terra. Il ritrovamento fu fatto proprio nel tablino della Casa n. 6 sulla via dell’Abbondanza Reg. II – Ins. I” 

This house has since been renumbered to I.11.6.

I.11.6 Pompeii. 1964.

Marble statue of Venus in Bikini. Photo by Stanley A. Jashemski.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 152798.

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.11.6 Pompeii. March 2009. Room 1, atrium. Looking north from rear of table supports and pedestal.

I.11.6 Pompeii. March 2009. Doorway to room 2, from atrium.

I.11.6 Pompeii. March 2009. Room 2, east wall.

I.11.6 Pompeii. March 2009. Room 2, north wall with doorway to shop at I.11.7.

I.11.6 Pompeii. March 2009. East wall of atrium, with doorways to rooms, 2, 3 and 4.

I.11.6 Pompeii. March 2009. Doorway to room 3, from atrium.

I.11.6 Pompeii. March 2009. Room 3, painted east wall.

I.11.6 Pompeii. March 2009. Room 3, painted south wall with bed recess.

I.11.6 Pompeii. March 2009. Room 3, painted north wall with bed recess.

I.11.6 Pompeii. March 2009. Room 3, painted north-west corner.

Part 2      Part 3      Part 4      Plan