VII.6.38 Pompeii. House of Cipius Pamphilus Felix.

Excavated 1760, 1841 and 1910. Bombed in 1943.

Part 1                                                  Part 2

 

According to Garcia y Garcia Region VII, Insula VI was one of the insulae most devastated over the years since its excavation.

He calls it the “Cinderella” of Pompeii. Between the years 1759 and 1762 it was vandalised and stripped by the Bourbons, then re-interred.

Then came the slow and non-systematic uncovering again before the final destruction in September 1943.

The area was ignored and abandoned during the years following the war, which reduced the insula to a heap of bricks and masonry.

See Garcia y Garcia, L., 2006. Danni di guerra a Pompei. Rome: L’Erma di Bretschneider. (p.102).

 

VII.6.38 Pompeii. May 2011. Entrance doorway, on left.

Looking south along Vicolo del Farmacista.  Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.

 

VII.6.38 Pompeii. June 2012. Looking east from entrance doorway.

 

VII.6.38 Pompeii. June 2012.

Looking towards remains of painted decoration on north side of entrance corridor.

 

VII.6.38 Pompeii. September 2005. Entrance doorway.

 

VII.6.38 Pompeii. September 2005. Looking east from fauces or entrance corridor.

 

VII.6.38 Pompeii. September 2005. Looking south-east from fauces.

 

VII.6.38 Pompeii. September 2005. Wall around base of portico.

Found in March 1761 in this area, was a bronze seal/stamp with the wording –

Cipi Pamphili//

Felix     [CIL X 8058]  

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum, inventory number 4733.

See Pagano, M. and Prisciandaro, R., 2006. Studio sulle provenienze degli oggetti rinvenuti negli scavi borbonici del regno di Napoli.  Naples : Nicola Longobardi. 

(p. 38)

This seal/stamp is illustrated in Part II of the same book, entitled Rami inediti, fig.30a-b on page 333).

 

VII.6.38 Pompeii. December 2007. Doorway to oecus on north side of entrance.

 

VII.6.38 Pompeii. December 2007. West wall of oecus to north of entrance.

 

VII.6.38 Pompeii. December 2007. West wall of oecus to north of entrance. 

 

VII.6.38 Pompeii. December 2007.

North wall of oecus on north side of entrance. 

 

VII.6.38 Pompeii. December 2007. North-west corner of oecus to north of entrance. 

 

VII.6.38 Pompeii. December 2007. South-east corner of oecus on north side of entrance. 

 

VII.6.38 Pompeii. September 2005.

Looking east across portico towards site of oecus or tablinum, in centre, and VII.6.28 in the background.

 

VII.6.38 Pompeii. September 2005.

Looking west from VII.6.28 across site of oecus or tablinum, across garden area to entrance.

 

 

VII.6.38 Pompeii. December 2007.

Looking west across portico to entrance, from area of oecus or tablinum.

Another oecus is to the north and a triclinium to south of entrance. 

The portico would have been supported by the four columns, of which only a small lower area of each survives.

According to Jashemski, these were plastered and painted red and at the time of excavation did not have capitals.

They were connected by a low masonry wall.

See Jashemski, W. F., 1993. The Gardens of Pompeii, Volume II: Appendices. New York: Caratzas. (p.185)

 

 

 

Part 2