VI.11.8 Pompeii. Casa di Eutychus.

Linked to VI.11.9 and VI.11.10. Excavated 1835, 1843. Bombed in 1943.

VI.11.8 / 9 / 10 Plan

According to Fiorelli –

“Segue un cassetta avente dopo il protiro l’atrio tuscanico, col larario in forma di nicchia dipinta a fogliami e sotto di esso i due serpi al lati della mensa. A sinistra della porta eravi un oecus; a destra la cucina col cesso ed un scaletta per montare ai cenacoli, seguita da cubicolo, che in una della pareti teneva un quadretto di legno sporgente dal muro, ov’era infisso co’chiodi che tuttora vi rimangono. Stava di fronte il triclinio, al posto del tablino, con accanto une cella rustica.”

See Pappalardo, U., 2001. La Descrizione di Pompei per Giuseppe Fiorelli (1875). Napoli: Massa Editore. (p. 69).

(This is followed by a house, which after the entrance corridor had the Tuscan atrium, with the lararium in the form of a niche painted with foliage and below it the two snakes to the sides of the altar/table. To the left of the doorway was an oecus; on the right the kitchen with latrine and stairs/ladder to mount up to the upper floor, followed by cubiculum, which had in one of the walls a wooden square protruding from the wall, where it was fixed with nails that still remain there. Facing was the triclinium, in place of the tablinum, with a rustic room next to it.)

Extracts from Bullettino Archeologico Napoletano, Anno Primo, 1843.

(Note: “Prima casetta” (First house) is part of Avellino’s description, and not a numbered location.)

See Bullettino Archeologico Napoletano, Anno Primo, 1843, Napoli: Tipografia Tramater, No. IX, I Maggio 1843, p.65.

See Bullettino Archeologico Napoletano, Anno Primo, 1843, Napoli: Tipografia Tramater, No. IX, I Maggio 1843, p.65.

See Bullettino Archeologico Napoletano, Anno Primo, 1843, Napoli: Tipografia Tramater, No. IX, I Maggio 1843, p.66.

See Bullettino Archeologico Napoletano, Anno Primo, 1843, Napoli: Tipografia Tramater, No. X, 1 giugno 1843, p.73.

VI.11.8 Pompeii. September 2005. Entrance doorway.

According to Garcia y Garcia, this beautiful house, that had preserved the remains of some of its upper floor which had been restored after excavation, was badly hit in 1943.

The night bombardment of 16th September 1943 destroyed the rooms on the south side of the atrium, and all the remains of the upper floor.

It was then again left derelict and ruined.

The entrance doorway was then bricked in and it was only accessible through two openings made in modern times.

One through the bakery of House of the Labyrinth, the other through part of the falling down western wall, south of the authentic entrance number 8.

See Garcia y Garcia, L., 2006. Danni di guerra a Pompei. Rome: L’Erma di Bretschneider. (p.82)

According to Della Corte, an electoral recommendation was found here at this doorway, reading –

Eutychi    [CIL IV 1369].

He hypothesised that Eutychi may have been the faithful servant/procurator, who stayed too long before fleeing from the eruption.

A skeleton was found in the lapilli, high up above the peristyle of VI.11.9/10, with a group of precious objects together with a key and seal registered to him and with the letters – Eutychi

See Della Corte, M., 1965. Case ed Abitanti di Pompei. Napoli: Fausto Fiorentino. (p.44)

According to G. Luongo et al, the skeleton found above the peristyle was a woman.

See Luongo, G. et al. (2003): Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research 126, (p.195)

According to Pagano and Prisciandaro, found in March 1835 in the middle of the peristyle but above the original soil level, was a skeleton.

Nearby were two gold circles, perhaps armbands or bracelets, (MN 24992 and 24993); three gold rings and an iron key, together with a bronze seal with an inscription –

Euti

chi     [CIL X 8058,33]

These objects are now in Naples Archaeological Museum, inventory numbers 4755, 25830, 25831, 25832.

See Pagano, M. and Prisciandaro, R., 2006. Studio sulle provenienze degli oggetti rinvenuti negli scavi borbonici del regno di Napoli. Naples: Nicola Longobardi, (p.150) PAH, II, 304-5.

VI.11.8 Pompeii. September 2005. Looking east across room 56 to room 49, with doorway to bakery 16.

VI.11.8 Pompeii. September 2005. Looking east from entrance towards rooms 54 and 53. 

VI.11.8 Pompeii. December 2007. Entrance doorway 51 from inside, looking west. 

VI.11.8 Pompeii. September 2005. Room 53, looking west towards entrance at VI.11.8. 

VI.11.8 Pompeii. December 2007. Room 50, impluvium? 

VI.11.8 Pompeii. December 2007. Room 50, niche. 

According to Boyce, in the north wall of the atrium were the ruins of a rectangular niche.

This was originally adorned with a stucco aedicula façade and decorated with painted ornaments.

On the inside the ornaments were red leaves, and on the outside arabesques and a peacock.

On the wall below the niche was a painting of two large serpents confronted at an altar imitating coloured marble.

The altar was furnished with offerings on the top and above the serpents was a garland.

See Boyce G. K., 1937. Corpus of the Lararia of Pompeii. Rome: MAAR 14. (p.50, no.182).

VI.11.8 Pompeii. December 2007. Looking across room 50 to rooms 54 and 53. 

VI.11.8 Pompeii. December 2007. Doorway to room 56, looking south towards doorway to rear of oven. 

VI.11.8 Pompeii. December 2007. Room 52, west wall. 

VI.11.8 Pompeii. December 2007.

North-east corner of atrium 50, looking east towards doorway to room 54, on right.   

VI.11.8 Pompeii. December 2007. Doorways to rooms 54 and 53. 

VI.11.8 Pompeii. December 2007. Room 54, looking east.

VI.11.8 Pompeii. December 2007. Room 53, looking east.   

VI.11.8 Pompeii. December 2007. Eastern corner of the south wall of room 49. 

VI.11.8 Pompeii. December 2007. Room 56, looking west. 

Against the north wall, on right, would have been the stairs to the upper floor, and in the north-west corner under the stairs is the latrine.

On the left, against the south wall was probably a hearth or a bench.

VI.11.8 Pompeii. July 2004. Room 56, latrine in north-west corner. Photo courtesy of Barry Hobson.

VI.11.8 Pompeii. December 2007. Room 18, looking north. 

VI.11.8 Pompeii. December 2007. Room 18, looking north-east. 

VI.11.8 / 9 / 10 Plan