I.6.2
Pompeii. Casa del Criptoportico or House of Cryptoporticus or House of T. Lucretius
Carus.
Excavated
1911-1929.
Quick outline
This page has been created to give an appreciation of the main rooms and areas of the beautiful House of the Cryptoporticus.
Detail
If you are then interested to see the house in more detail, the rooms are shown in greater detail in the subsequent parts.
I.6.2 Pompeii. September 2015. Looking towards
entrance doorway on south side of Via dell’Abbondanza.
Foto
Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.
I.6.2 Pompeii. December 2018.
Looking south along entrance corridor/fauces
towards atrium and across to tablinum.
Photo courtesy of
Aude Durand.
I.6.2 Pompeii. September 2017. Looking towards south side of atrium. On the right is the columned impluvium with a fluted marble puteal.
Foto Annette
Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.
I.6.2 Pompeii. September 2019.
Looking north from three rooms on east side,
towards atrium and entrance corridor, on right. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.
I.6.2 Pompeii. August 2021. Looking towards lararium on west wall of north portico of small garden.
On the left side was an arched niche with a
projecting ledge beneath it.
The bust of Mercury was painted on the rear
wall of the niche.
On the right side of the white panel there
was a large yellow serpent, raising his head to the niche.
Below the niche was a second serpent coiling
around a yellow cylindrical altar.
There were painted green plants with red,
yellow and blue flowers, amongst them were two butterflies and three birds.
Near the larger serpent there was a peacock
standing amongst the plants.
Across the top, there were three garlands. Photo courtesy of Robert Hanson.
I.6.2 Pompeii. January 2017. Looking south-west across the small peristyle garden.
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.
I.6.2 Pompeii. September 2019. Upper loggia, looking
towards western end with summer triclinium. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.
I.6.2 Pompeii. December 2018. Triclinium with table,
against the west wall of the loggia.
The circular table, the couches and the benches,
were all painted with motifs of plants and birds on a red background.
Photo courtesy of Aude Durand.
I.6.2 Pompeii. September 2019. Looking south-west
across garden from summer loggia. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.
I.6.2 Pompeii. Skeletons and 3 plaster casts
excavated from above the garden area in June and July 1914.
See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1914, p. 260, fig. 4.
I.6.2 Pompeii. March 2024. Plaster cast of two
victims found in the lapilli above the garden area level. Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella.
On display in exhibition in Palaestra entitled – “L’altra Pompei, vite comuni all’ombra del Vesuvio”. March 2024.
I.6.2 Pompeii. Plaster cast of two victims, found
in the garden, between 2nd and 21st July 1914.
The casts were formed “with the long and patient
work of two valued workmen, Umberto Borelli and Armando Mancini”.
See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1914, Vol. XI, p.261. (Fig.5)
I.6.2 Casa del Criptoportico. Garden area. Four
casts and skeletons at the excavations of 1914.
A cast of two females, a young man/boy found to the
right/east of the two females and behind to the north a fourth cast.
The fourth cast was in a group with two other
victims, but the skeletons were not made into plaster casts.
See Notizie degli Scavi di
Antichità, 1914, p.366, Fig. 1.
Piazza Anfiteatro exhibition building. May 2010.
Exhibit from the Pompei e il Vesuvio exhibition.
Plaster cast of a young man, numbered 23, found in the garden of
the House of the Cryptoporticus.
Traces of leather shoes can be seen on the feet of
this young man, who was about 15 years old.
Iron nails that reinforced the sole of the shoe
were also found in the plaster. Photo
courtesy of Rick Bauer.
I.6.2 Pompeii. May 2016. Cryptoporticus on lower
level.
Looking south towards doorway into oecus/triclinium
along east wing of cryptoporticus. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
I.6.2 Pompeii. May 2016. Oecus/triclinium flooring
in antecamera.
Looking south across oecus/triclinium from doorway
into east wing of cryptoporticus. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
I.6.2 Pompeii. August 2021. Looking east across ornate flooring in oecus/triclinium. Photo courtesy of Robert Hanson.
At the threshold
of the oecus/triclinium and the antecamera are a series of different
multi-coloured mosaic panels, one with swords, shield and
helmet.
I.6.2 Pompeii. December 2018. Small doorway in east
wall of east wing of cryptoporticus.
Looking east across ornate muti-coloured mosaic
floors of anteroom, apodyterium or changing room, towards arched doorway
to frigidarium, in centre.
Photo courtesy of
Aude Durand.
I.6.2 Pompeii. September 2019. Looking north through arched doorway into frigidarium.
Foto Annette
Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.
In the upper centre of the wall is a tripod, a symbol of Apollo.
![I.6.2 Pompeii. September 2019.
Looking west down on south wall of frigidarium, with arched doorway to anteroom or changing room. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.
In the upper centre zone above doorway is a baetulus [sacred stone] against a background of trees.
The baetulus was chiefly used in connection with the cult of Artemis, in Roman painting.
A baetulus is a sacred stone, derived from a meteorite, which was supposedly endowed with life.](1%2006%2002%20quickie_files/image026.jpg)
I.6.2 Pompeii. September 2019.
Looking west down on south wall of frigidarium, with arched doorway to anteroom or changing room. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.
In the upper centre zone above doorway is a baetulus [sacred stone] against a background of trees.
The baetulus was chiefly used in connection with the cult of Artemis, in Roman painting.
A baetulus is a sacred stone, derived from a meteorite, which was supposedly endowed with life.
I.6.2 Pompeii. December 2018. Frigidarium of baths’ area.
Looking down on west wall and circular window through into corridor in east wing of cryptoporticus. Photo courtesy of Aude Durand.
There is a niche in
west wall with paintings of candelabra and cupid at its sides.
At the rear through
the circular window the west wall of the east wing of the cryptoporticus can be
seen.
I.6.2 Pompeii. December 2015. West wall of
frigidarium. Niche in west wall with painting of candelabrum.
At the rear, through the window, the west wall of
the east wing of the cryptoporticus can be seen.
I.6.2 Pompeii. September 2019. Looking south along
west wall of east wing of cryptoporticus.
The base of the wall has a meander pattern.
Above this are geometric patterns with garlands and
yellow herms each with a portrait head at their top.
On the upper part of the wall a number of scenes
are painted.
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant
681269 DÉCOR.
I.6.2 Pompeii. September 2019.
Looking north along east
wing of cryptoporticus towards north-east corner and steps up to small garden
area. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.
I.6.2 Pompeii. September 2019. Looking west along
south side of north wing of cryptoporticus. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.
I.6.2 Pompeii. September 2019. Looking west along
north side of north wing of cryptoporticus. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.
I.6.2 Pompeii.
August 2021. Looking east along north wing of cryptoporticus. Photo courtesy of
Robert Hanson.
I.6.2 Pompeii. September 2017. Looking east along north wing of cryptoporticus with remains of stucco ceiling.
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.
I.6.2 Pompeii. September 2017. Looking east along south wall of north wing of cryptoporticus.
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.
I.6.2 Pompeii. September
2019. Looking south along the west wing of cryptoporticus.
Foto
Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.
I.6.2 Pompeii. January 2017. Looking north along east side of west wing, from south end.
Foto Annette
Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.
I.6.2 Pompeii.
August 2021. Looking north along west wing of cryptoporticus. Photo courtesy of
Robert Hanson.
I.6.2 Pompeii. September 2019. Central section of west wall of west wing.
At the top is “the pestilence scene”, which was reconstructed from fragments.
Apollo can be seen with his bow, firing the plague arrows, above the rocks, in the upper left.
The name of the god had been written on the painting in Greek letters (in white below the figure).
People from Achaea pass in the foreground, including a man in a wagon drawn by a donkey, followed by man with a large round shield.
Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.
I.6.2/16 Pompeii. May 2017.
Looking north-east towards caldarium near rear entrance at I.6.16, with detail of hypocaust flooring below the multi-coloured mosaic flooring.
In the centre of the floor is a Hellenistic rosette.
To the side are two ithyphallic pygmies carrying an amphora and on the other side are dolphins.
You can see further pictures at I.6.16. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.