IX.14.2 Pompeii. Rear entrance of House of M. Obellius Firmus

or Casa di MM. Obellii Firmi, pater et filius

or Casa del Conte di Torino or House of the Count of Turin.

Linked to other entrances at IX.14.4 and IX.14.b.

See IX.14.4 for more pictures. Excavated 1888, 1903 and 1910.

IX.14.2 Pompeii. September 2019. Looking south on Via di Nola towards entrance doorway.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

IX.14.4 Pompeii. September 2019. Entrance doorway with benches on either side.

Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.

IX.14.2 Pompeii. May 2005. Entrance doorway, looking south.

IX.14.2 Pompeii. May 2017. Modern guard-dog in entrance doorway! Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.

IX.14.2 Pompeii. 1912. Human skeletons in the fauces.

According to New York Times, March 13th, 1912; -

“before one of the gates were lying six bodies – those of Obellius Firmus himself, his wife, two little children, and two other persons, probably slaves”.

According to Trevelyan, the skeletons were the family of Obellius Firmus.

He said the two on the left were holding hands; at their feet are two children with arms entwined.

See Trevelyan, R. (1976): The Shadow of Vesuvius, London: The Folio Society, (p.92)

In Notizie degli Scavi for September 1911, Della Corte reported that in fauces 28 some human skeletons had been noticed.

In the next month’s diggings, they would be excavated and would remain in their place, both to preserve them and allow them to be visible from the roadway.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1911, (p.350)

In NdS for October 1911, Spano reported that the skeletons had been found in the fauces, at the point indicated by number 38 on the plan of the building (See NdS, 1911, p.332 for the plan).

He reported that the skeletons were four (?) adults and two youngsters.

He surmised that the unfortunates were not from the House of Obellius Firmus but had come from the smaller house on its western side.

They had obviously been trapped in their own area and hoped to make their escape through the larger house.

They had tunnelled through the western wall of the fauces, making a big hole, which linked the fauces with the smaller rooms on its west side.

Unfortunately for them, the lapilli had probably already built up against the entrance doorway of IX.14.2 from the Via di Nola (the door was closed at the time).

The lapilli had also already entered the atrium by the compluvium and had probably sealed their way out of the fauces at its southern end.

All they could do was await their fate in that place or go back the way they had come.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1911, (p.372-3)