V.3.9 Pompeii. House of Cosmus and Epidia.

Excavated 1900.

V.3.9 Pompeii. March 2009. Entrance.

According to Della Corte, painted graffito was found on the right side of the entrance.

This read –

Epidia nec sine Cosmo rogat     [CIL IV 6610]

See Della Corte, M., 1965. Case ed Abitanti di Pompei. Napoli: Fausto Fiorentino. (p.108)

V.3.9 Pompeii. Drawing of plan from Notizie degli Scavi, 1902, (p.201).

A - Atrium

B - Room not entirely excavated in 1902, described as “coarse/rough”.

C - Two steps of a stairway

D - Perhaps a triclinium

E - Originally the tablinum, then divided into two cubicula

F - Originally the tablinum, then divided into two.

G - (and H). On the inside of the two original pilasters of the tablinum, two swans with ribbons in their beaks were painted.

H - (see G)

K - Lararium

V.3.9 Pompeii. May 2005. Entrance doorway, looking west.

According to NdS, the entrance threshold stone was made of lava, and led into a poor little house of modest appearance.

The door jambs were brick and opened immediately into the atrium.

In the corner, to the left of the doorway as one entered, was a cistern with a terracotta puteal in which it seemed the rainwater would have emptied by a clay pipe, now disappeared. The puteal was covered with stucco, coloured red.

The impluvium had been eliminated in a make-over of the house, however traces of it can be seen in the flooring of the atrium.

The floor of the atrium was decorated with triangular pieces of different marbles.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1902, dated November 1901, p.201-203.

V.3.9 Pompeii. March 2009. Puteal, on south side of entrance, in atrium.

V.3.9 Pompeii. March 2009. Atrium with remains of impluvium. Looking south.

V.3.9 Pompeii. March 2009. West wall of atrium, site of two rooms F and E, with window, looking north-west.

According to NdS, the large tablinum opposite the entrance doorway on the west side of the atrium, had been divided into two cubicula.

The partition wall did not affect the old window in the west wall, which continued to give light to both rooms.

The room in the south-west corner kept the entrance doorway from the atrium.

From there, one entered into the other room in the north-west corner, which had been separated from the atrium by a wall.

Both rooms were decorated with paintings.

The one in the south-west, on the left of the photo, showed a dado coloured in yellow with black lines, between the lines were painted plants and long leaves.

In the room in the north-west corner, on the right of the photo, only the back (west) wall was more of less conserved.

The dado was painted with red rectangles separated by white bands.

The area above the dado was yellow and separated into three panels by violet bands.

The two side panels had a painted garland at the top, and in the middle of the panel, one had a painted swan, the other a panther.

The central panel had a large painted candelabra decoration with leaves, and above was a swan with spread wings, all painted to look like bronze.

The upper zone of the wall was painted deep red, with a type of pavilion in the centre, and garlands at the sides.

The north wall was heavily damaged, and only one figure remained, a painted white stag or deer.

On the interior of the two pillars of the original tablinum, in the north-east and south-east corners, two swans were shown with ribbons in their beaks.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1902, dated November 1901, p.201-203.

V.3.9 Pompeii. March 2009. West wall of site of room in the south-west corner.

According to NdS, the west wall was decorated more lavishly than the others.

In the area above the yellow dado, the wall was divided into three panels, red on either side of a yellow panel.

The central yellow panel showed a painted closed door on which was a painted door-ring with a tiger’s head with the ring in its mouth.

The two red side panels each contained a medallion of a maritime landscape, with boats, and fishermen, on the banks were porticoes, temples, statues, etc.

Above the yellow central panel was painted a small but beautiful sea-battle.

Above that was a painted eagle with wings, and lightning between its claws.

Around the eagle on the upper zone of the wall, were painted representations of architectural motifs, and two flying griffins, their tails ending in painted scrolls and plants. Under their legs were two dolphins.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1902, dated November 1901, p.201-203.

V.3.9 Pompeii. May 2005. West wall of site of room on the south side.

According to NdS, the south wall, on the left of the photo, was also divided into three panels.

The two side panels were red with a griffin and a flying tiger in gold.

The central panel was yellow and showed a painted closed door, framed by red and white pilasters with entablature.

In the middle was a painted door-knocker in the shape of an ox’s head.

Above this area, around the window that opened towards house V.3.8, there were other subtle architectural decorations in yellow on a red background.

Painted dolphins and other ornaments could be seen.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1902, dated November 1901, p.201-203.

V.3.9 Pompeii. March 2009. North wall of atrium.

Doorway to triclinium D, steps to upper floor, niche and doorway to a room B (still unexcavated in 1902).

V.3.9 Pompeii. March 2009. North wall of atrium. Doorway to triclinium D, and steps to upper floor.

V.3.9 Pompeii. March 2009. North wall of triclinium D.

According to NdS, this room, perhaps a triclinium, had a door threshold consisting of two pieces of marble, already having been used from another construction.

The only decoration on its walls were some red bands painted onto white plaster.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1902, dated November 1901, p.201-203.

According to Warscher, the dining room was at a slightly higher level.

It had beautiful marble steps which were out of keeping with such a simple house.

The walls of the dining room had red lines on a white background.

See Warscher, T., 1925. Pompeji: Ein Führer durch die Ruinen. Berlin und Leipzig: de Gruyter. (p.123-4)

V.3.9 Pompeii. March 2009. North wall of triclinium D.  

V.3.9 Pompeii. March 2009. West wall of triclinium D.  

V.3.9 Pompeii. March 2009. Triclinium D, south wall with window.

Through the window, the south wall of the tablinum converted to a bedroom can be seen.

The window in the south wall of the bedroom would have overlooked into V.3.8.

V.3.9 Pompeii. March 2009. Triclinium D, east wall, with window to room B, on north side of atrium.

V.3.9 Pompeii. March 2009. North side of atrium, steps to upper floor.

According to NdS, when found there were two steps of a staircase, the first was made of plastered brick with cocciopesto, the second was lava.

The other stair-rungs would have been made of wood, as was usual.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1902, dated November 1901, p.201-203.

V.3.9 Pompeii. March 2009. North wall and north-east corner of room B not yet fully excavated in 1902.

According to 1902 Notizie degli Scavi, on the north side of the atrium was a “vano rozzo”, a coarse/rough room. (p.202).

V.3.9 Pompeii. March 2009. East wall of room B on north-east side of atrium.

V.3.9 Pompeii. March 2009. South wall of room B, pilaster at rear of niche.

V.3.9 Pompeii. March 2009. North side of atrium.

V.3.9 Pompeii. pre-1937-39. Lararium on north side of atrium, with 2 Lares dressed in short tunics.

Photo courtesy of American Academy in Rome, Photographic Archive. Warsher collection no. 551

Under the niche can be seen the serpent. A small marble altar was found inside the niche.

See Giacobello, F., 2008. Larari Pompeiani: Iconografia e culto dei Lari in ambito domestico. Milano: LED Edizioni. (p.239).

V.3.9 Pompeii. 1903.

Household shrine/Lararium on north side of atrium, with niche, two painted Lares, altar and serpent.

Photo by Esther Boise Van Deman (c) American Academy in Rome. VD_Archive_Ph_216.

V.3.9 Pompeii. May 2005. Niche.

V.3.9 Pompeii. March 2009. Niche with remains of yellow and red painted stars.

See Boyce G. K., 1937. Corpus of the Lararia of Pompeii. Rome: MAAR 14. (p.39, no.114, and Pl. 22, 3)

V.3.9 Pompeii. March 2009. North wall of atrium under niche.    

Partially conserved remains of painted serpent and plants.

According to Boyce, the serpent was green with a yellow underside and a small red crest and beard.

The altar was painted on the left of the panel and was painted with an imitation of red and white marble.

On the top of the altar was an egg and fruit in the fire.

V.3.9 Pompeii. March 2009.

North wall of atrium under niche. Partially conserved remains of painted serpent and plants.

V.3.9 Pompeii. June 2012. Looking towards north side of atrium from entrance doorway. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.