VI.15.6 Pompeii. Domus of A. Caesius Valens and N. Herrenius Nardus

or Casa del Focolare di ferro or Casa del Forno di ferro.

Excavated 1895.

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VI.15.6 Pompeii. March 2009.

Doorway to room 2, cubiculum on north side of entrance corridor. Looking north-east.

On the left would have been the remains of the stairs to the upper floor, above the two rooms at the front of the house, rooms 2 and 3.

Holes for the beam supports for the upper floor can be seen in the north and east walls, in the above photo.

VI.15.6 Pompeii. March 2009. Room 2, north wall of cubiculum. 

According to NdS, the walls of this room were decorated in white and partitioned into panels of the usual architectural concepts of the last style.

In each panel the following representations were seen, starting on the north wall –

a sacred tree trunk and bronze urn supported by four feet:  

a bronze amphora with a palm branch leaning against it, and to the right, a tree trunk:

a winged bird in front of a bunch of grapes, the painting was enclosed in a medallion:

a cockerel in the act of pecking two fruits, also enclosed in a medallion:

an urn, in the usual circle:

a vase or urn which was supporting a palm branch, and on the right was a tree trunk.

The paintings from the west wall were destroyed.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, January 1897, (p.30)

VI.15.6 Pompeii. March 2009.

Room 2, east wall of cubiculum, with window onto Vicolo dei Vettii, and beam supports for upper floor.

VI.15.6 Pompeii. March 2009. Doorway to room 3, cubiculum, on south side of entrance corridor.

According to NdS, this room was quite rustic and could have been used as a storeroom.

VI.15.6 Pompeii. March 2009. Room 3, east wall of cubiculum, with window onto Vicolo dei Vettii.

VI.15.6 Pompeii. March 2009. Doorway to room 4, cubiculum.

VI.15.6 Pompeii. March 2009. Room 4, cubiculum. Looking west, towards south-west corner.

VI.15.6 Pompeii. March 2009. Room 5, tablinum.  Looking north-west.

According to NdS, originally the rear of the tablinum would have had a wide doorway, the same as that in the front, but this was walled up, keeping in place the wooden doorjambs of the ancient doorway, which having been destroyed, left an empty gap on both sides of the walling.

At the other end, the threshold of the room was a slab of Bardiglio marble and the floor was signinum.

In the middle of the floor was a coarse circular ornamental design which indicated the place of the table. It was therefore used as a triclinium.

The remains of the decoration showed that in the middle of each wall, there would have been a yellow panel between two black side panels, above a dado with a black background.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, January 1897, (p.30-31)

VI.15.6 Pompeii. March 2009. Room 5, tablinum. Remains of threshold and flooring.

VI.15.6 Pompeii. March 2009. Room 5, looking west across tablinum.

VI.15.6 Pompeii. March 2009. Room 1, north-west corner of atrium, outside north side of tablinum.

According to NdS –

 at the foot of the pilaster dividing the entrance of the tablinum and the corridor, a cistern-mouth opened in the floor of the atrium.

VI.15.6 Pompeii. March 2009. Room 6, corridor leading west to rear rooms.

VI.15.6 Pompeii. March 2009. Looking south-west. Room 7, yard at rear of tablinum and corridor 6, with stairs to upper floor.

VI.15.6 Pompeii. March 2009. Room 7, west wall, brick pillar and puteal of yard.

VI.15.6 Pompeii. March 2009.

Room 7, west wall, brick pillar with half column, and puteal of yard. Looking south.

VI.15.6 Pompeii. March 2009. Room 7, stairs to upper floor near west wall of yard. 

VI.15.6 Pompeii. March 2009. Room 7, stairs to upper floor. Looking south.

According to NdS, these stairs would have had wood as part of the level of each step.

On the white plaster of the pilaster to the left as one went up the stairs, graffiti could be read, between many signs.

On the right side as one went up, in rather large letters on the grey plaster, another graffito could be seen.

VI.15.6 Pompeii. Graffiti from the left side of the staircase.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, January 1897, (p. 31)

According to Epigraphik-Datenbank Clauss/Slaby (See www.manfredclauss.de) these read

Lucius       [CIL IV 4627]

Corintia       [CIL IV 4628]

[3]li va(le)       [CIL IV 4629]

Ampli[a]ta       [CIL IV 4630]

Venust[us]       [CIL IV 4631]

Mum()      [CIL IV 4632]

Hirius       [CIL IV 4633]

VI.15.6 Pompeii. Graffiti from the right side of the staircase.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, January 1897, (p. 31)

According to Epigraphik-Datenbank Clauss/Slaby (See www.manfredclauss.de) this read

Incitatus

libe(rtus) LXXXX      [CIL IV 4636]

VI.15.6 Pompeii. March 2009.  Room 7, cistern mouth with puteal near west wall of yard.

According to NdS, when this travertine puteal was found the top of it was broken.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, January 1897, (p.32)

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