IX.6.d Pompeii. Casa di Dido ed Aeneas.

Linked to IX.6.e. Excavated 1868 and 1879.

IX.6.d Pompeii. Mau in BdI described this house as “number 11, linked to shop at number 10”.

He described this as a small house, linked to IX.6.e, now without decoration, but discovered with figured paintings attributed to the III style, and which were documented at the time.

He thought this could have been a caupona, and was composed of –

a:  shop [10 on the plan = IX.6.e]

b:  the entrance corridor [11 on the plan = IX.6.d]

c:  a small hall or atrium

d:  a type of ala or exedra

e:  the triclinium, to the right of “d”, with window (1,18m x 1,03m) into the shop

f:   a bedroom

g:  a kitchen with hearth in the north-east corner

h:  a small uncovered courtyard

See Bullettino dell’Instituto di Corrispondenza Archeologica (DAIR), September 1880, p.194.

IX.6.d Pompeii, in centre. April 2019. Looking north to entrance doorways, with IX.6.e, on right. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

IX.6.d Pompeii, on left. December 2018.

Looking north-east towards entrance doorways, with IX.6.e, on right. Photo courtesy of Aude Durand.

IX.6.d Pompeii. May 2005. Entrance doorway, looking north.

IX.6.d Pompeii. May 2005. Looking north along entrance corridor towards atrium “c” and triclinium “e”.

Found on the west (left) wall of the atrium “c” was a wall painting of Theseus abandoning Ariadne.

See Sogliano, A., 1879. Le pitture murali campane scoverte negli anni 1867-79. Napoli: (p.96, 532)

See Schefold, K., 1957. Die Wande Pompejis. Berlin: De Gruyter. (p.266)

See Schefold, K., 1962. Vergessenes Pompeji. Bern: Francke. (p.89, Taf 52,2)

A wall painting of Polyphemus was found in room “c”, on the north side of the pilaster between rooms “a” and “b”.

According to Sogliano originally it would have covered the entire space on the pilaster, but only a fragment was preserved (1,13 high x 1,10 wide).

See Schefold, K., 1957. Die Wande Pompejis. Berlin: De Gruyter. (p.266)

See Sogliano, A., 1879. Le pitture murali campane scoverte negli anni 1867-79. Napoli: (p.78, nos.473)

IX.6.d Pompeii. West wall of the atrium “c”. 1879 copy by Sikkard of painting of Theseus abandoning Ariadne.

DAIR 83.289 and 53.505. Photo © Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, Abteilung Rom, Arkiv.

According to Sogliano, Theseus, naked except for a purple chlamys running down his back, has already placed his left foot on the gangplank, resting with one end on the shore and the other on the ship, and turning his gaze towards Ariadne, he offers his left hand anxiously to the sailor, and with his right hand holds a flap of the chlamys upright, as if to cover the pubis.

See Sogliano, A., 1879. Le pitture murali campane scoverte negli anni 1867-79. Napoli: Giannini. N. 532.

IX.8.8 or IX.6.d Pompeii? Painting by G. Discanno of painting of Theseus abandoning Ariadne.

DAIR 83.288 and 53.549. Photo © Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, Abteilung Rom, Arkiv.

Similar but not identical to one by Sikkard which shows Theseus fully clothed rather than naked and there are oars under the boat where Discanno shows the plaster missing.

In the Discanno painting Theseus is also offering his right hand to the lone sailor.

Sikkard shows several sailors on the ship compared with only one shown by Discanno.

The Sikkard painting seems to correspond to the Sogliano description whereas the Discanno painting differs in several details which may suggest an alternative painting/location.

According to NdS, in a room, not yet entirely excavated in 1891, of a small house to the south of the House of the Centenary, a badly conserved painting was found on the west wall.

The sketch in BdI 1890 corresponds to the Discanno painting.

This could be IX.8.8 or perhaps IX.6.d, where the two similar paintings are recorded.

PPP shows both the Sikkard and Discanno paintings as from the north wall of the atrium of IX.6.d.

Schefold shows the Sikkard painting (DAIR 53.505) as from IX.6.d and the Discanno painting (DAIR 53.549) as from an unidentified location in IX.8.

The DAIR web site (Arachne) shows the Discanno painting as "Wandmalerei aus der Casa IX 8, 8? Theseus verlässt Ariadne".

See Bragantini, de Vos, Badoni, 1986. Pitture e Pavimenti di Pompei, Parte 3. Rome: ICCD, p. 490.

See Schefold, K., 1957. Die Wände Pompejis. Berlin: De Gruyter, p. 266.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1891, p. 265.

See Bullettino dell’Instituto di Corrispondenza Archeologica (DAIR), 1890, p. 277.

IX.6.d Pompeii. Atrium “c”, on the north side of the pilaster between rooms “a” and “b”.

1880 water colour copy of painting of Polyphemus.

DAIR 83.292. Photo © Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, Abteilung Rom, Arkiv.

See Sogliano, A., 1879. Le pitture murali campane scoverte negli anni 1867-79. Napoli: (p.78, nos.473)

IX.6.d Pompeii. May 2005. Looking north across triclinium “e”, with window into light-yard or small courtyard “h”, at rear.

According to Schefold, in the centre of the west (left) wall of this room, a fragment of the wall painting of Dido and Aeneas was found.

See Sogliano, A., 1879. Le pitture murali campane scoverte negli anni 1867-79. Napoli: (p.123, no.602)

See Schefold, K., 1957. Die Wande Pompejis. Berlin: De Gruyter. (p.267)

See Schefold, K., 1962. Vergessenes Pompeji. Bern: Francke. (p.177, Taf 175,2)   

IX.6.d Pompeii. June 2017. Triclinium “e”, painting on the west wall of Dido and Aeneas.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum, inventory number s. n. Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella.

IX.6.d Pompeii. Triclinium “e”, painting on the west wall of Dido and Aeneas.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum, inventory number s. n. 

According to Varone and Stefani, found written on the wall painting were the names (seen in the left of above painting):

Dido    Aeneas    [CIL IV 3722]

See Varone, A. and Stefani, G., 2009. Titulorum Pictorum Pompeianorum, Rome: L’erma di Bretschneider, (p.381, with photo, & Tav. XLVII a)

IX.6.d Pompeii. Triclinium “e”. Copy of painting of Dido and Aeneas on the west wall.

DAIR 83.295. Photo © Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, Abteilung Rom, Arkiv.

IX.6.d Pompeii. May 2005. North wall of triclinium “e” with window into light-yard, or courtyard “h”.

Found on the north wall on either side of the window were wall paintings of Sirens, one with lyre, the other with flute.

See Schefold, K., 1957. Die Wande Pompejis. Berlin: De Gruyter. (p.267)

See Sogliano, A., 1879. Le pitture murali campane scoverte negli anni 1867-79. Napoli: (p.71, nos.427 and 428)

In the courtyard “h”, were two basins leaning against the west and north walls (2,15 long, 0,65 and 0,75 wide, and 0,60 high), each with a drain in its floor.

In the south-east corner was a large hollow 0,35 x 0,42, 0,30 deep.

There was also a fragment of a terracotta puteal and the lower half of a broken amphora filled with lime.

The window between ' e ' and ' h ' (1.59 high, 1.66 long) was closed by two shutters; the sockets of the hinges were conserved.

See Bullettino dell’Instituto di Corrispondenza Archeologica (DAIR), 1881, p. 30.

IX.6.d Pompeii. May 2005. North wall of triclinium “e”, east side of window.

IX.6.d Pompeii. May 2005. Looking towards north wall of “d”, and through doorway to two rear rooms “f”and “g”.

On the pilaster, on the left of this photo, a wall painting of a herm of Hercules was found, on a black background.

Nearby was graffiti, a Greek inscription with names of the divinities – (CIL IV 5202).

See Schefold, K., 1957. Die Wande Pompejis. Berlin: De Gruyter. (p.266)

See Sogliano, A., 1879. Le pitture murali campane scoverte negli anni 1867-79. Napoli: (p.78, nos.492)

IX.6.d Pompeii. Greek inscription with names of the divinities.

Found to the left of the painting of a herm of Hercules.

According to Cooley, the names represented a week’s calendar, of the gods’ days.

God’s days

Of Kronos,

Of the Sun,

Of the Moon,

Of Ares,

Of Hermes,

Of Zeus,

Of Aphrodite.      [CIL IV 5202]

See Cooley, A. and M.G.L., 2004. Pompeii: A Sourcebook. London: Routledge. (E35, p.131-132)

See Bullettino dell’Instituto di Corrispondenza Archeologica (DAIR), 1881, p. 30.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1879, p.44

IX.6.d Pompeii. Wall painting of Daedalus and Icarus.

According to Bragantini and Sampaolo, this was found in room “d” of IX.6.d.

According to Schefold, it was found on the north wall of the room (d) east of the atrium.

According to Peters, it was taken from a Third Style room south-east of the atriolum.

As the painting had become so faded, he felt unable to discuss the landscape.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 120174.

See Schefold, K., 1957. Die Wande Pompejis. Berlin: De Gruyter. (p.266).

See Schefold, K., 1962. Vergessenes Pompeji. Bern: Francke. (p.89, Taf 52,1).

See Sogliano, A., 1879. Le pitture murali campane scoverte negli anni 1867-79. Napoli: (p.94, no.524).

See Bragantini, I and Sampaolo, V., Eds, 2009. La Pittura Pompeiana. Verona: Electa. (p. 337, Fig 152).

See Peters, W.J.T. (1963): Landscape in Romano-Campanian Mural Paintings. The Netherlands, Van Gorcum & Comp. (p.80)

IX.6.d Pompeii. Triclinium. Watercolour copy of painting of the fallen Icarus.

DAIR 83.294. Photo © Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, Abteilung Rom, Arkiv.

See Sogliano, A., 1879. Le pitture murali campane scoverte negli anni 1867-79. Napoli: (p.94, no.524).

IX.6.d Pompeii. May 2005. North wall of rear room on east side, kitchen “g”.