VII.13.23 Pompeii. Shop. Excavated 1821. (Vico d’Eumachia 3).
VII.13.23 Pompeii. December 2005. Looking south-east towards entrance doorway.
VII.13.23 Pompeii. December 2005. Looking east across shop, in the south wall (on the right) is the doorway into a side-room.
VII.13.23 Pompeii. July 2008. North-east corner. Photo courtesy of Barry Hobson.
VII.13.23 Pompeii. July 2008. North wall with downpipe. Photo courtesy of Barry Hobson.
VII.13.23 Pompeii. September 2024.
Mosaic masks, now
in Naples Archaeological Museum. Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella.
According to the Giornale, in this location were found two beautiful masks in mosaic embedded above two stones of marble.
See Fiorelli G., 1864. Pompeianarum antiquitatum historia, Vol. 3: Naples, p. 30, dated 17th November 1821.
Mosaic mask found at
Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 109687.
According to the information card –
Theatrical mask.
Fragment of a
mosaic pavement in opus vermiculatum made from polychrome tesserae on a
black background, depicting a comic mask, a Papposilenus
(an elderly Silenus) wearing an ivy wreath. (Early
Ist century BC.)
(Maschera teatrale.
Frammento di mosaico pavimentale in opus
vermiculatum di tessere policrome su fondo nero, raffigurante una maschera di
commedia, un Papposileno coronato di edera. Inizi del
I secolo a.C.)
Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella. September
2024.
Mosaic mask found at
Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 109679.
According to the information card –
Theatrical mask.
Fragment of a mosaic pavement in opus vermiculatum made from polychrome tesserae on a black background, depicting a theatrical mask of Pan. (Early 1st century BC.)
(Maschera teatrale.
Frammento di mosaico pavimentale in opus
vermiculatum di tessere policrome su fondo nero, raffigurante una maschera teatrale
di Pan.
Inizi del I secolo a.C.)
Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella. September
2024.
VII.13.23 or VII.9.7/8 Pompeii. Description by Niccolini of “Different Objects found in the building called the Pantheon - Mosaics”.
This description does seem to refer to a solitary mask in each square.
According to Niccolini, vol. 1, pt.2, 1854, p.15, see above –
“Two mosaic masks, each measuring once 7 squared (approximately 6.5 inches), however missing some small part, representing two masks, which in ancient times would have been located on a wall, or even in the middle of some floor of good work. These mosaics are very precious, because beyond the rarity of the finding of them here of similar minute composition, they still have an admirable feeling and expression.”
See Niccolini F, 1854. Le case ed i monumenti di Pompei: Volume Primo. Napoli. Panteon p.15.
Mazois does not mention any mosaics found in the Macellum.
According to PAH –
17th November 1821 -
“In the third existing workshop to the right of the abovementioned road facing the Forum, two mosaic squares have been discovered in this week, each measuring on.7 squared (approx. 6.5 inches squared), missing, however, some small part, representing two masks, which in ancient times would have been located on a wall, or even in the middle of some floor of good work. These mosaics are very valuable, because beyond the rarity of the finding of them here of similar minute composition, they still have an admirable feeling and expression, and that small missing part being restored, they will become of much greater value.”
See Fiorelli G.,
1862. Pompeianarum antiquitatum historia,
Vol. 2: 1819 - 1860, Naples, p. 44-5.
According to Pagano and Prisciandaro, these masks were found in VII.13.23, now in Naples Museum, Inv. nos. 109679 and 109687, although there is some discrepancy in their description or where they were found.
No. 109679 was reputedly a bronze candelabra found 11th February 1872 in I.3.3.
No. 109687 was found 13th May 1873 in I.2.29.
See Pagano, M. and Prisciandaro, R., 2006. Studio sulle provenienze degli oggetti rinvenuti negli scavi borbonici del regno di Napoli. Naples: Nicola Longobardi, (p.123).