VI.7.15 Pompeii. Domus of M Spurius Am.... or Casa del Duca d’ Aumale.

Excavated 1824 and 1835. (Strada di Mercurio 28).

VI.7.15 Pompeii. October 2022. Looking north-west through entrance doorway on Via di Mercurio. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

VI.7.15 Pompeii. December 2007. Entrance doorway on Via di Mercurio.

According to Della Corte, a seal was found here that seemed to attribute the house to a certain –

M. Sp(urius) Am…..   [CIL X, 8058, 82]

He gave the reference PAH: 22 Nov. 1835

See Della Corte, M., 1965. Case ed Abitanti di Pompei. Napoli: Fausto Fiorentino. (p.53, S.84)

According to Pagano and Prisciandaro, found in the mass of soil excavated here in November 1835, was a mark with an inscription –

M(arci) Sp() Am().       [CIL X 8058, 82]

This is now in Naples Archaeological Museum, inventory number 4749.

See Pagano, M. and Prisciandaro, R., 2006. Studio sulle provenienze degli oggetti rinvenuti negli scavi borbonici del regno di Napoli. Naples: Nicola Longobardi, (p.151)  PAH II, 321.

VI.7.15 Pompeii. June 2012. Looking west from entrance doorway. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.

VI.7.15 Pompeii. October 2022. Looking west along north side. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

VI.7.15 Pompeii. December 2007. North side from entrance doorway.

According to Fiorelli, Eschebach and Hobson, on the right, is the doorway into the latrine.

See Pappalardo, U., 2001. La Descrizione di Pompei per Giuseppe Fiorelli (1875). Napoli: Massa Editore. (p.58)

See Eschebach, L., 1993. Gebäudeverzeichnis und Stadtplan der antiken Stadt Pompeji. Köln: Böhlau. (p.179)

See Hobson, B. 2009. Pompeii, Latrines and Down Pipes. Oxford, Hadrian Books, (p.227)

According to Hobson, in this latrine there is one support and one slot, which enabled a latrine to be identified.

See Hobson, B., 2009. Latrinae et foricae: Toilets in the Roman World. London; Duckworth. (p.49, and fig 65).

VI.7.15 Pompeii. December 2007. Looking west across yard, on the north side (right) were doorways to four small rooms.

VI.7.15 Pompeii. December 2007. Looking west along north side of yard towards rear room in north-west corner.

VI.7.15 Pompeii. May 2011. Upper rear of east wall of room in north-west corner, taken from VI.7.1 (lower wall).

VI.7.15 Pompeii. May 2005. Looking west from entrance across yard towards kitchen area and doorway to dormitory.

VI.7.15 Pompeii. December 2007. On the left would have been an area with steps to the upper floor, and a window overlooking the yard.

This may have been where Fiorelli located the lararium.

In his description he said

“…..una gradinata per le località sovrastanti, un piccolo recesso con cisterna, e col dipinto del Genio che sacrifice ed il serpe che si avvicina al frutto del pino, un’area piu spaziosa con focolare......”

See Pappalardo, U., 2001. La Descrizione di Pompei per Giuseppe Fiorelli (1875). Napoli: Massa Editore. (p.58).

VI.7.15 Pompeii. October 2022. Looking west towards hearth in kitchen area against west wall. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

VI.7.15 Pompeii. October 2022. Detail of hearth against west wall. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

VI.7.15 Pompeii. October 2022.

Doorway in west wall into a rear room. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

VI.7.15 Pompeii. December 2007. Hearth in kitchen area against west wall.

According to Boyce, on the west wall of the kitchen there was a lararium painting on a white background.

A serpent glides through plants towards an altar furnished with an egg and pine cone.

Below the painted altar, a piece of tile projected from the wall, to serve for lamp or offerings.

To the right of the same altar, stood the Genius, crowned, wearing high boots and a toga with a fold drawn over his head.

See Boyce G. K., 1937. Corpus of the Lararia of Pompeii. Rome: MAAR 14. (p.48, no.165)

He also gave Helbig as a reference:

See Helbig, W., 1868. Wandgemälde der vom Vesuv verschütteten Städte Campaniens. Leipzig: Breitkopf und Härtel. (32).

VI.7.15 Pompeii. Pre-1937-39. Lararium painting from west wall of kitchen.

A serpent glides from the left towards the altar.

The painted altar can be seen above a piece of projecting tile.

To the right stands the Genius with arm outstretched.

Photo courtesy of American Academy in Rome, Photographic Archive. Warsher collection no. 1591.

VI.7.15 Pompeii. October 2022. Looking west along south side. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

VI.7.15 Pompeii. December 2007. South wall of yard, near entrance doorway.

VI.7.15 Pompeii. December 2007. Doorway in south wall of yard, leading into a large room, the triclinium according to Eschebach.

At the rear of the doorway can be seen the area with the stairs to the upper floor and window onto yard.

VI.7.15 Pompeii. December 2007. South side of yard, area of wall with window overlooking yard.

VI.7.15 Pompeii. October 2022. Detail from south side. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

VI.7.15 Pompeii. October 2022.

Looking north through doorway into yard from large room or triclinium. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

VI.7.15 Pompeii. October 2022.

Looking north over wall into large room or triclinium on south side of yard. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.

VI.7.15 Pompeii. December 2007. Looking north over wall into large room or triclinium on south side of yard. Photo taken from VI.7.14.