VIII.4.4 Pompeii. Casa dei Postumii or Domus M. Holconi Rufi or House of Holconius Rufus.

Linked to VIII.4.2, VIII.4.3, VIII.4.5, VIII.4.6, VIII.4.49 and VII.4.50.

Excavated 1766, 1855 and 1861.

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VIII.4.4 Pompeii. March 2009. Doorway to room 5, corridor, with the remains of the impression of the steps to upper floor.

VIII.4.4 Pompeii. March 2009. Room 5, corridor or steps to upper floor.

VIII.4.4 Pompeii. March 2009. Doorway to room 6, triclinium with window onto east portico.

According to PPM, the floor of this triclinium was very ornate; the threshold was decorated with a “net design” of diamond shapes formed with white tesserae.

In the centre of the floor was an emblema of polychrome mosaics showing a flower of six petals.

See Blake MAAR 1930, (pp.72,74, tav.46,6).

According to Helbig, this room contained the following wall paintings: Ariadne forsaken by Theseus (1229) and Phrixus and Helle (1254)

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

See Pompei: Pitture e Mosaici: Vol. VIII. Roma: Istituto della enciclopedia italiana, pp. 451ff.

VIII.4.4 Pompeii. c.1930. Room 6, triclinium showing the central emblema of polychrome mosaic.

See Blake, M., (1930). The pavements of the Roman Buildings of the Republic and Early Empire. Rome, MAAR, 8, (p. 72, 74, & Pl.46, tav.6).

VIII.4.4 Pompeii. c.1930. Room 6, triclinium, showing the central emblema of polychrome mosaic

DAIR 41.682. Photo © Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, Abteilung Rom, Arkiv.

See Pernice, E.  1938. Pavimente und Figürliche Mosaiken: Die Hellenistische Kunst in Pompeji, Band VI. Berlin: de Gruyter, (described as “triclinium 14”, see tav. 30.5, above.)

VIII.4.4 Pompeii. March 2009. Room 6, east wall of triclinium. 

VIII.4.4 Pompeii. Room 6, triclinium. At the centre of the east wall, the painting of the abandoned Ariadne was found.

DAIR 53.607. Photo © Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, Abteilung Rom, Arkiv.

See Helbig, W., 1868. Wandgemälde der vom Vesuv verschütteten Städte Campaniens. Leipzig: Breitkopf und Härtel, 1229

VIII.4.4 Pompeii. March 2009. Room 6, north-west corner of triclinium.

VIII.4.4 Pompeii. Room 6, triclinium. The painting on the west wall showed Phryxus and Helle.

DAIR 53.604. Photo © Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, Abteilung Rom, Arkiv.

See Helbig, W., 1868. Wandgemälde der vom Vesuv verschütteten Städte Campaniens. Leipzig: Breitkopf und Härtel, 1254.

VIII.4.4 Pompeii. March 2009. Looking west across north portico to room 17.

VIII.4.4, Pompeii. December 2018. Looking south-east across garden from west portico. Photo courtesy of Aude Durand.

VIII.4.4 Pompeii. March 2009. Looking south-west across garden from north portico.

VIII.4.4 Pompeii. December 2018. Looking east in north portico, towards doorway to room 7. Photo courtesy of Aude Durand.

VIII.4.4 Pompeii. March 2009. Looking east along corridor in north portico, to room 7.

VIII.4.4 Pompeii. December 2018.

Looking east to doorway to room 7, with square basin beneath arched opening, on the south side. Photo courtesy of Aude Durand.

VIII.4.4 Pompeii. March 2009. Doorway to room 7, kitchen. Looking towards east wall with niche.

VIII.4.4 Pompeii. December 2018.

Doorway to room 7, kitchen. Looking towards east wall with niche.

Photo courtesy of Aude Durand.

VIII.4.4 Pompeii. March 2009. Room 7, kitchen, with small basin and long marble top. Looking north.

The kitchen contained not only a hearth, worktable and latrine, but also three basins or masonry structures.

A fourth structure or basin in the peristyle colonnade was connected to the kitchen through an opening.

VIII.4.4 Pompeii. April 2009. Looking north in kitchen. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.

VIII.4.4 Pompeii. March 2009. Room 7, north-east corner of kitchen. 

VIII.4.4 Pompeii. December 2018.

Room 7, looking south in kitchen. Photo courtesy of Aude Durand.

VIII.4.4 Pompeii. April 2009. Looking south in kitchen. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.

VIII.4.4 Pompeii. April 2009. Drain in kitchen area. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.

VIII.4.4 Pompeii. April 2009. Detail. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.

VIII.4.4 Pompeii. December 2018. Room 7, east wall and south-east corner of kitchen. Photo courtesy of Aude Durand.

VIII.4.4 Pompeii. December 2018.

Room 7, niche in east wall of kitchen. Photo courtesy of Aude Durand.

VIII.4.4 Pompeii. December 2018. Room 7, detail of niche in east wall. Photo courtesy of Aude Durand.

According to Boyce –

In the kitchen opening off the east side of the peristyle, in the east wall above a masonry tub, is a small arched niche (h.0.47, w.0.36, d.0.27, h. above floor 1.60) adorned with an aedicula façade.

See Boyce G. K., 1937. Corpus of the Lararia of Pompeii. Rome: MAAR 14. (p. 76, no.358).

See Giacobello, F., 2008. Larari Pompeiani: Iconografia e culto dei Lari in ambito domestico. Milano: LED Edizioni, (p.199, no.89).

VIII.4.4 Pompeii. March 2009. Room 7, kitchen. Looking south.

VIII.4.4 Pompeii. April 2009.

Looking towards east wall, site of boiler and niche. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.

VIII.4.4 Pompeii. April 2009. Site of boiler, near east wall. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.

VIII.4.4 Pompeii. March 2009. Room 7, kitchen, looking south. West wall, with remains of masonry basin or structure.

VIII.4.4 Pompeii. April 2009. West wall, with remains of masonry basin or structure. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.

VIII.4.4 Pompeii. March 2009. Room 7, kitchen, looking south. East wall, with remains of basin or masonry structure.

VIII.4.4 Pompeii. April 2009. Niche on east wall of kitchen area. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.

VIII.4.4 Pompeii. March 2009. Room 7, niche on east wall of kitchen.

According to Boyce, this small arched niche was above a masonry tub and adorned with an aedicula façade.

See Boyce G. K., 1937. Corpus of the Lararia of Pompeii. Rome: MAAR 14. (p.76)

See Giacobello, F., 2008. Larari Pompeiani: Iconografia e culto dei Lari in ambito domestico. Milano: LED Edizioni. (p.199)

VIII.4.4 Pompeii. April 2009. Looking towards east wall, niche, masonry structure and hearth. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.

VIII.4.4 Pompeii. December 2018. Room 7, east wall of kitchen. Looking south to hearth. Photo courtesy of Aude Durand.

VIII.4.4 Pompeii. March 2009. Room 7, east wall of kitchen. Looking south to remains of hearth.

VIII.4.4 Pompeii. March 2009. Room 7, latrine in south-east corner of kitchen. 

VIII.4.4 Pompeii. December 2018. Room 7, looking north in kitchen. Photo courtesy of Aude Durand.

VIII.4.4 Pompeii. March 2009. Room 7, kitchen, looking north.

VIII.4.4 Pompeii. March 2009. Room 7, kitchen. West wall with arched opening, connecting the kitchen to the basin in room 8. 

VIII.4.4 Pompeii. December 2018.

Room 7, arched opening in west wall, connecting the kitchen to the basin in room 8. 

Photo courtesy of Aude Durand.

VIII.4.4 Pompeii. March 2009.

Room 7, kitchen. West wall with arched opening, outside of which is the basin in the corridor on west side of kitchen.

VIII.4.4 Pompeii. December 2018.

Room 7, west wall, arched opening, and doorway to room 8. Photo courtesy of Aude Durand.

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