24. Pompeii. Villa dei Misteri or Villa of Mysteries.

Crypt, anteroom (26) to room with apse which may have been a sacellum (25)

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Villa of Mysteries, Pompeii. May 2006. Doorways to rooms 21, 26, corridor 27, and room 28 on peristyle D. Looking west.

Villa of Mysteries, Pompeii. May 2010. Looking across the peristyle. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.

Villa of Mysteries, Pompeii. Rain-water spouts, in situ on roof behind crypt.

Photographed 1970-79 by Günther Einhorn, picture courtesy of his son Ralf Einhorn.

Our thanks to Florian Schmitt for his help in identifying the location of this photo.

Villa of Mysteries, Pompeii. May 2012. Entrance to crypt. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

Villa of Mysteries, Pompeii. May 2006. Crypt.

Villa of Mysteries, Pompeii. May 2006. Crypt.

Villa of Mysteries, Pompeii. May 2006. Steps to crypt.

Villa of Mysteries, Pompeii. May 2006. Steps to crypt.

Villa of Mysteries, Pompeii. May 2006. Crypt.

Villa of Mysteries, Pompeii. May 2006. Niche in crypt.

Villa of Mysteries, Pompeii. May 2010. Peristyle D, looking west towards doorway to rooms 21 and 26.

Villa of Mysteries, Pompeii. May 2010. Doorway to room 26.

Villa of Mysteries, Pompeii. May 2010. Room 26, north side.

Villa of Mysteries, Pompeii. May 2010. Room 26, at front, looking into room 25, apsidal hall at rear.

Villa of Mysteries, Pompeii. May 2006. Room 25, from room 26.

Villa of Mysteries, Pompeii. May 2010. Room 25, apsidal hall, from room 26.

Boyce said that Maiuri suggested this room of curious shape with an apse in the side opposite the entrance doorway, and four rectangular niches in the walls, was undergoing renovation at the time of the eruption.

Maiuri thought it may have been intended as a domestic Sacellum, and possibly would have housed the statue of Livia found nearby in the peristyle.

See Boyce G. K., 1937. Corpus of the Lararia of Pompeii. Rome: MAAR 14. (p. 98)

See Maiuri, 1967 Ed. Villa dei Misteri, (76 and fig.29)

Villa of Mysteries, Pompeii. May 2010. Room 26, east side.

Villa of Mysteries, Pompeii. May 2010. Looking south along peristyle A at doorways to rooms 19, 20 and 21.

Villa dei Misteri, Pompeii. October 1981. Looking towards north-west corner of Peristyle A, from Peristyle D.

Doorways to rooms 19, (on left) 20, 21, and 26 (on right).

Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer, from Dr George Fay’s slides collection.

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