VII.12.10 Pompeii. Shop and dwelling of Festus.

Excavated 1845.

VII.12.10 Pompeii. December 2018. Looking south to entrance doorway from Via degli Augustali. Photo courtesy of Aude Durand.

VII.12.10 Pompeii. December 2006. Entrance doorway.

According to Della Corte, this was another shop communicating with a large internal workshop.

Found on the pilaster to the right of the entrance doorway was the electoral recommendation –

Festus rogat   [CIL IV 625]

See Della Corte, M., 1965. Case ed Abitanti di Pompei. Napoli: Fausto Fiorentino. (p.183)

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

Pansam aed(ilem)

o(ro) v(os) f(aciatis) Festus rogat       [CIL IV 625]

According to Boyce on the right pilaster, separating the two entrances of VII.12.10 and 9, was a painting of Mercury.

Bull. Arch. Nap., iv, 1846, 5.

See Boyce G. K., 1937. Corpus of the Lararia of Pompeii. Rome: MAAR 14. (p.111, no.22)

VII.12.10 Pompeii. September 2005. East wall of shop.

VII.12.10 Pompeii. December 2004. Rear room of shop.

VII.12.10 Pompeii. September 2005. Looking south towards rear room of shop, on left.

On the west wall of the rear room remains of IV style painting could be seen, including a red zoccolo and white middle area of the wall.

On the right, were the stairs to upper floor and corridor to rear yard.

According to Boyce, in the south-west corner of the rear area was a lararium.

The lararium painting could be seen on the west wall of the kitchen above the hearth.

See Boyce G. K., 1937. Corpus of the Lararia of Pompeii. Rome: MAAR 14. (p.70, no.314)

VII.12.10 Pompeii. 1865 drawing by Gargiulo of lararium painting found April 1863 on the west wall of the kitchen above the hearth.

The note on the drawing says:

Al di sotto: ara col serpe maschio; a s. dell'ara oggetti di cucina poco determinati, fra i quali si riconoscono un prosciutto ed un uccello.

Below: altar with male snake; to the side of the altar not very determined kitchen objects, among which we recognize a ham and a bird.

DAIR 83.148. Photo © Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, Abteilung Rom, Arkiv.

According to Fröhlich, this drawing showed the upper zone.

According to Boyce, it depicted the usual sacrificial scene of the Genius assisted by the tibicen, popa and camillus.

The entire left side of the panel was missing.

Of the popa only one foot remained.

On each side of the central group was a Lar, of whom only the one on the right remained.

The Lar and the Genius were of the same stature.

See Boyce G. K., 1937. Corpus of the Lararia of Pompeii. Rome: MAAR 14. (p.70, no.314)

In the lower zone was a single male serpent beside an altar.

On the other side of the same altar various objects associated with the kitchen were shown.

Amongst them an eel, two hams and a bird could be distinguished.

See Fröhlich, T., 1991. Lararien und Fassadenbilder in den Vesuvstädten. Mainz: von Zabern. (L.90, Taf. 44,2)

According to BdI, 1864, the painting visible in the kitchen was found in April of the last year, and was described by Reifferscheid in AdI, 1863, p.123 item T.

There was nothing to add other than the material that covered the chest of the Lares was blue, red that wrapped around the legs, falling to green, and white cloak.

The left part of the painting was fallen and lost. The height of the painting was around I.32m.

See Bullettino dell’Instituto di Corrispondenza Archeologica (DAIR), 1864, p.115 (described as Casa III).

VII.12.10 Pompeii. June 2005. West side of rear area/yard, masonry bench and dolium. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.

VII.12.10 Pompeii. June 2005. Dolium in rear yard. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.

VII.12.10 Pompeii. June 2005.  

Rear yard with dolium, and small room with holes in wall for support beams for a roof, this may have been the latrine.

Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.