ATRIUM POMP Flashcards
ATRIUM:HOUSE OF PANSA
The House of Pansa, otherwise referred to as the House of Gnaeus Aleius Nigidius Maius, occupies an entire city block. Most of the block fronting the surrounding streets was let out for shops, stores and living accommodation as can be seen from the grayed areas in the accompanying plan.
The main entrance: to the house itself lies on the Via delle TerThe house was initially excavated in 1810 and again in 1813, 1827, 1852 and finally in 1943 after the property was bombed.
Opening off the atrium are six reasonably sized cubicula (c), three on the east side and three on the west side of the atrium. The cubiculum off the south west corner of the atrium has a doorway in its south wall opening onto the shop (d) at VI.6.22.
Opening off the north west corner of the atrium is an oecus (e). There is a wide window in its north wall overlooking the west side of the peristyle.
In the centre of the north side of the atrium is the tablinum (f). The tablinum is open to the atrium over its full width.
Several rooms open off the east and west sides of the peristyle including, on the eastern side, a triclinium (i) and an oecus (j) which had direct access to the street at No.8. The house had an upper storey, but the access stairways are in the rented area, suggesting that the upper floor was not occupied by the owners of the main property.
The kitchen (k) is located off the north west corner of the peristyle, and includes a paved yard (m) with access to the street at No.13.
In the centre of the north side of the peristyle is a large exedra (n) The exedra was open to the peristyle over virtually its full width. On its north wall is an almost equally large window which overlooked a veranda (p) and the garden (q) to the north. Access to the veranda was gained by way of the corridor (o) between the exedra and the kitchen.
ATRIUM:HOUSE OF PANSA, EVIDENCE
→ The east and west walls of the tablinum retain some patches of plasterwork, but any decorative detail has long since been lost. The tablinum has a fine white mosaic floor with a single black border. In the north wall of the tablinum is a wide opening with two low marble steps giving access to the peristyle.
→ Opening off the north west corner of the atrium is an oecus (e). The room is in a ruinous state with little in the way of decoration.
The bronze candelabrum was found in or around the peristyle.
→ The candelabrum, set on lion claw feet, features four scrolled arms each supporting an oil lamp. On the base are a square altar and a statuette of Dionysus riding a panther.
→ In the middle of the peristyle is a small garden with a basin originally decorated with images of water plants and fish on a blue ground The basin featured a small fountain in its centre.
→ In the kitchen the masonry hearth was against the east wall. in the north east corner of the kitchen is an arched niche. Next to it was an elaborately painted lararium, but sadly this has now been lost due to its exposure to the elements.
→ Adjoining the kitchen to the west is a second service area (l) which contained the latrine.The owner of the property at the time of the eruption, as a for-rent sign informs us, was Gnaeus Aleius Nigidius Maius.
