NGH Pompeii. Porta Nola Tombs. Schola tomb with symbols of Dionysus, to east of ancient road to Nola.
NGH Pompeii. August 2015. Front view of fully excavated schola tomb. Photo courtesy Stephen Kay, British School at Rome.
NGH Pompeii. 2010 Geophysical survey showing a number of small anomalies that may be cinerary urns.
Photo ©
Soprintendenza Speciale per i Beni Archeologici di Pompei, Ercolano e Stabia.
The 'anonymous tomb', located in front of the semi-circular exedra tomb of Aesquillia Polla, has never been investigated stratigraphically. In 2010, during the preliminary campaign [for the Porta Nola project, 2015-2017], a geophysical survey was conducted on the monument that highlighted a series of small abnormalities of size of approximately 20 x 20 cm, located at about one metre deep below the present level of foot traffic in the centre of the triangular wedge formed by walls that surrounded the anonymous schola tomb. It can, therefore, be assumed that they may be cinerary urns.
La ‘tomba
anonima’, che si trova di fronte alla tomba ad esedra di Aesquillia Polla, non
è mai stata indagata stratigraficamente. Nel 2010,
durante la campagna preliminare [per il progetto Porta Nola, 2015-2017], è
stata condotta una prospezione geofisica al monumento che ha evidenziato una
serie di anomalie di piccole dimensioni della dimensione di circa 20 x 20 cm,
localizzate a circa un metro di profondità sotto l’attuale livello di calpestio
al centro dello spicchio triangolare formato dai muri che delimitavano la tomba
a schola anonima. Si può, pertanto, ipotizzare che possa trattarsi di urne
cinerarie.
According to Stephen Kay [by email 14/3/2020], "the Ground-Penetrating Radar survey was conducted prior to our work [i.e. the Porta Nola project, 2015-2017]. I would say that we found no evidence for the insertion of cremations within the monument. In order for such a hypothesis to be correct, the cremations would have to be placed before the floor preparation that supported a stone laid floor (as per Aesquillia Polla). I therefore am unsure of this interpretation".
Pompeii, Nola Gate. May 2011. Looking east from gate towards Schola tomb NGH. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
Pompeii, Nola Gate. May 2006. Looking east from gate towards Schola tomb NGH.
NGH Pompeii. 2015. Schola tomb after clearance showing previously covered tomb and basalt block roads.
The continuation of ancient Via di Nola into unexcavated area is on the left.
The area immediately outside of Porta Nola (the Nolan Gate) was first cleared in 1907–8.
Since then, soil had once again accumulated opposite the gate, re-burying the tomb.
In 2015 the Porta Nola Project cleared the basalt block roads and brought the monument back to light.
Excavation inside the monument in front of the benches revealed a thick layer of floor preparation for the pavement which has since disappeared.
See BSR Pompeii Project Porta Nola Necropolis 2015 Excavations
NGH Pompeii. 1910 photo of tomb.
NGH Pompeii. August 2015. View from rear of fully excavated tomb. Photo courtesy Stephen Kay, British School at Rome.
NGH Pompeii. May 2006. Rear of schola tomb with lion paw and altar.
NGH Pompeii. May 2011. Schola tomb north-west end with lion paw. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
NGH Pompeii. May 2006. Schola tomb north-west end with lion paw.
NGH Pompeii. August 2015. End of tomb schola with carved leg and paw. Photo courtesy Stephen Kay, British School at Rome.
NGH Pompeii. May 2006. Schola tomb end with lion's paw.
NGH Pompeii. May 2006. Rear of schola tomb with altar.
NGH Pompeii. August 2015. West side of altar. Photo courtesy Stephen Kay, British School at Rome.
NGH Pompeii. May 2006. West side of altar on Schola tomb.
NGH Pompeii. August 2015. South side of altar. Photo courtesy Stephen Kay, British School at Rome.
NGH Pompeii. 1910 photo of south side of altar on Schola tomb.
According to Spano, this is a mystical chest, made of rushes, cylindrical, wide, and supported by feet, of which three are visible.
The head of a snake is lifting the cover. This side is framed by two great torches.
This symbolises that the buried person had been in initiated in life into the mysteries of Dionysus.
See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1910,
p. 395-6.
NGH Pompeii. May 2006. South side of altar on Schola tomb.
NGH Pompeii. May 2006. South side of altar on Schola tomb.
NGH Pompeii. May 2006. North side of altar on Schola tomb.
NGH Pompeii. May 2006. Schola tomb and north side of altar, from pathway above.