VII .16.13 Pompeii. Casa di
Umbricius Scaurus (II) or House of Aulus Umbricius Scaurus, Father and Son
(II).
Linked to VII .16.12, VII .16.14, VII .16.15
and VII .16.16.
Excavated 1851, 1871, 1958.
Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7
VII.16.13/12/14 Casa di Umbricius Scaurus (II) plan
VII.16.15/16 Casa di Umbricius Scaurus (I) plan
We have only been able to locate a relatively small amount of published information on houses VII.16.12/13/14/15/16 and no comprehensive plan in a general textbook, though some partial plans have been published.
The main source is Aoyagi M. and Pappalardo U. et al, 2006. Pompei (Regiones VI-VII) Insula Occidentalis. Napoli: Valtrend. This is a specialised work and much more expensive than a generally available textbook. It does contain plans.
We have generated two outline sketch plans based on that in Bragantini, de Vos, Badoni, 1986. Pitture e Pavimenti di Pompei, Parte 3. Rome: ICCD.
This treats the five houses as two houses.
VII.16.15 and 16 are in the first house [Casa di Umbricius Scaurus (I)] with rooms numbered from 1 to 37.
VII.16.12, 13 and 14 are in the second house [Casa di Umbricius Scaurus (II)] with rooms numbered from 1 to 50.
We have devised two separate plans on these lines.
The house and the remaining rooms are on two levels, a fact not obvious from some plans. However, rooms 38 and 39 may be on a second lower level.
We have indicated the room number under each photograph. The level is shown in the text under the first photograph for the room.
We have verified our plans by our own observations and photographs
Some rooms have collapsed, or the floors are dangerous, so it was not possible to visit all parts to verify the plan.
These houses were damaged by bombing on 13th September 1943. They are in a derelict and dangerous state and are not open to the public.
Restoration work has been in progress in 2010 and 2011 on some parts of the houses.
Please be aware that existing plans, including ours, may not correspond exactly to what is on the ground, and also may not correspond to the aerial image on Google Earth.
VII.16.13 Pompeii.
October 2023.
Looking north towards entrance
doorway on west side of Vicolo del Gigante. Photo
courtesy of Klaus Heese.
VII.16.13
Pompeii. October 2023. Looking
towards entrance doorway. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.
VII.16.13
Pompeii. June 2019. Entrance doorway. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
According to Fiorelli –
“Questa aveva ai lati della sua porta, che era preceduta
da piccolo vestibolo, due antiche pitture oggi del tutto svanite”.
See Pappalardo, U., 2001. La Descrizione di
Pompei per Giuseppe Fiorelli (1875). Napoli: Massa
Editore. (p.161).
(translation
– “This had at the sides of its doorways, which was preceded by a small
vestibule, two ancient paintings today completely vanished.”)
VII.16.13 Pompeii. September 2005. Entrance doorway.
VII.16.13 Pompeii. June 2019. Entrance sill and mosaic threshold. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
VII.16.13 Pompeii. June 2019. Entrance mosaic. Photo courtesy Buzz Ferebee.
VII.16.13 Pompeii. June 2019. Entrance mosaic and atrium flooring. Photo courtesy Buzz Ferebee.
VII.16.13
Pompeii. December 2018. Entrance mosaic, looking west towards atrium
flooring. Photo
courtesy of Aude Durand.
VII.16.13
Pompeii. October 2023. Detail
of entrance mosaic at south end of doorway. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.
VII.16.13 Pompeii. June 2019. Detail from entrance mosaic at south end. Photo courtesy Buzz Ferebee.
VII.16.13 Pompeii. October 2023. Detail
of entrance mosaic at north end of doorway. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.
VII.16.13 Pompeii. December 2005. Vestibule 1, with entrance mosaic.
VII.16.13 Pompeii. December 2005. Vestibule 1, with entrance mosaic.
VII.16.13 Pompeii. December 2007. Vestibule 1, with entrance mosaic.
VII.16.13 Pompeii. December 2007. Vestibule 1, with entrance mosaic.
VII.16.13 Pompeii. December 2007. Vestibule 1, with entrance mosaic.
VII.16.13 Pompeii. Entrance mosaic. Photographed 1970-79 by Günther Einhorn, picture courtesy of his son Ralf Einhorn.
VII.16.13 Pompeii. W.49. Entrance doorway mosaic.
Photo by Tatiana Warscher. Photo © Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, Abteilung Rom, Arkiv.
VII.16.13,
Pompeii. Doorway threshold and mosaic flooring, c.1930.
According to Blake –
Towards the rear of the atrium of Insula Occidentalis 13, under the spot where a piece of furniture once stood, coloured limestones alone are used in the pavement of this type, whereas the front of the room, paved in the same technique, exhibits a great variety of precious marbles in the midst of the limestones. Between the two parts is a large and careful ancient restoration. Whether we are dealing here with two pavements of different periods, one using coloured limestones, the other pieces of marble, or with a bit of ancient economy which relegated the less precious material to the parts of the floor which would not show, is difficult to say. The impluvium is surrounded by an elaborate guilloche border in colours. (p.61)
She also says, under her description of Floral Bands –
The main threshold of Insula Occidentalis 13, although perhaps laid in Roman times, is absolutely Hellenistic in spirit. (p.108)
See Blake, M., (1930). The pavements of the Roman Buildings of the
Republic and Early Empire. Rome, MAAR, 8, (p.61 & p.108. (pl.11, tav.3).
VII.16.13 Pompeii, although shown as VI. Ins. Occ. on photo. Detail of atrium flooring.
Pre-1937-39. Photo courtesy of American Academy in Rome, Photographic Archive. Warsher collection no. 331.
VII.16.13 Pompeii. June 2019. North side of entrance vestibule. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
VII.16.13 Pompeii. June 2019. South side of entrance vestibule. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
VII.16.13 Pompeii. June 2019. Looking west along south side of atrium room 2.
Looking towards doorway to room 15, ala room 14 in centre,
followed by doorways to rooms 13, and 11, with tablinum room 9 on right. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
According to
Fiorelli –
“Il suo grandioso
atrio tiene a sinistra dell’ingresso una cella, per cui passavasi nella casa
precedente, seguita da cubicolo, da un’ala, da un secondo cubicolo, e da un
fauce di comunicazione con l’anzidetta casa, e col peristilio di questa.
See Pappalardo,
U., 2001. La Descrizione di Pompei per Giuseppe Fiorelli (1875). Napoli: Massa Editore. (p.161).
(translation – On the left of the entrance to the large
atrium were – a room by which one passed into the preceding house, followed by
a cubiculum, by an ala, by a second cubiculum, and by a corridor that
communicated with the neighbouring house and also with the peristyle of this
one.)
VII.16.13 Pompeii. October
2023.
Looking west along south side of atrium 2, with ala 14, in
centre, and tablinum 9, on right. Photo
courtesy of Klaus Heese.
VII.16.13 Pompeii. June 2019. Looking west along south side of atrium room 2.
Looking towards ala room 14 on left and tablinum room 9 on right. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
VII.16.13 Pompeii. October
2023.
Looking towards west
wall of ala 14, at north end near atrium. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.
Looking
towards west wall of ala 14, at north end near atrium. Photo courtesy of Klaus
Heese.
VII.16.13 Pompeii. October
2023.
Detail of part of
column near south wall of atrium. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.
VII.16.13 Pompeii. September 2005. Looking towards south side of atrium room 2.
Looking towards ala room 14 on left and tablinum room 9 on right.
VII.16.13 Pompeii. June 2019. Looking towards south-west corner of atrium, room 2.
Looking towards ala room 14 on left and tablinum room 9 on right. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
VII.16.13 Pompeii. May 2024.
Looking west towards south side of tablinum 9. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.
VII.16.13 Pompeii. October
2023.
South-west corner of
atrium 2, with column with capital from east end of south wall of tablinum 9.
Photo courtesy of
Klaus Heese.
VII.16.13 Pompeii. October
2023.
Looking west across
site of impluvium in atrium 2, towards tablinum 9. Photo
courtesy of Klaus Heese.
VII.16.13 Pompeii. June 2019. Looking
west across atrium 2, towards tablinum 9. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
According to Fiorelli –
“Il tablino, che sta di fronte allo ingresso,
tiene ai lati due oeci, i cui aditi dall’atrio furono anticamente murati:e
succede ad esso un grandioso peristilio, contenente un’ampia piscina, con piu
stanze nei lati, e con spaziosi loggiati che si prolungavano sulle pubbliche
mura.”
See Pappalardo, U., 2001. La Descrizione di
Pompei per Giuseppe Fiorelli (1875). Napoli: Massa
Editore. (p.161).
(translation: “"The
tablinum which stands facing the entrance doorway, had two reception rooms
(oeci) on its sides, whose doorways to the atrium were formerly walled up in
antiquity: and following on was a large peristyle containing a large pool, with
several rooms at the sides, and with spacious loggias that extended onto the
public walls.")
VII.16.13 Pompeii. April 2019. Looking west across atrium 2, towards tablinum 9. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.
VII.16.13 Pompeii. December 2018. Looking west across
atrium 2, towards tablinum 9. Photo courtesy of Aude Durand.
VII.16.13 Pompeii. September 2005. Looking west across atrium room 2 towards tablinum room 9.
VII.16.13 Pompeii. Atrium, looking west across decorated floor of atrium.
Photographed 1970-79 by Günther Einhorn, picture courtesy of his son Ralf Einhorn.
VII.16.13 Pompeii. October
2023. Looking west along north side of atrium 2. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.
Looking west across atrium towards north side of tablinum 9. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.
VII.16.13 Pompeii. October
2023.
Column in north-west
corner of atrium, at east end of north wall of tablinum 9.
Photo courtesy of
Klaus Heese.
VII.16.13 Pompeii. June 2019. Looking
north-west across atrium room 2. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
According to Fiorelli –
A dritta ha una cella servile, e quindi nell’atrio
l’altare dei sacrifizi, ed un’ala tra due cubicoli.
See Pappalardo, U., 2001. La Descrizione di
Pompei per Giuseppe Fiorelli (1875). Napoli: Massa
Editore. (p.161).
(translation –
“To the right
(the atrium) had a small servile room, and then in the atrium the domestic
altar, and an ala between two cubicula.”)
VII.16.13 Pompeii. September 2005. Looking north-west across atrium room 2.
VII.16.13 Pompeii. September 2005. Room 2, atrium and impluvium.
Room 2, looking west
across atrium flooring from entrance doorway. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
VII.16.13 Pompeii. December 2007. Looking west across atrium, room 2.
VII.16.13 Pompeii. December 2007. Room 2, impluvium in atrium.
VII.16.13 Pompeii. October
2023. Site of impluvium in atrium 2, looking west. Photo courtesy of Klaus
Heese.
VII.16.13 Pompeii. December 2007. Room 2, impluvium.
VII.16.13 Pompeii. December 2007. Room 2, marble cistern lid on impluvium.
VII.16.13 Pompeii. October 2023.
Room 2, remains of marble cistern mouth at west end of impluvium.
Photo courtesy of
Klaus Heese.
Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7
VII.16.13/12/14 Casa di Umbricius Scaurus (II) plan
VII.16.15/16 Casa di Umbricius Scaurus (I) plan