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Regio I - Insula XIII - Domus delle Gorgoni (I,XIII,6) - Catalogue

INTRODUCTION TO THE DESCRIPTION

The description was made in July 1987. The photographs accompanying the catalogue were made on November 11, 2007, shortly after the building had been cleaned, between October 3 and November 14, by the Associazione culturale "UnArcheo". A copy of the report is stored on the Ostia website (the organization UnArcheo no longer seems to exist and the original report of the cleaning is no longer available). Further work, including trenches, was carried out by UnArcheo in 2008 and 2009, and illustrated in a YouTube movie (again the reports are no longer available; back-up). The new information from the years 2007-2009 was added to the description.

The building was excavated in April 1940 (Giornale degli Scavi 26, page 102). The building as a whole was for the first time studied by Becatti (Becatti 1949, 5-6, fig. 3). Its mosaics were later studied in detail by Becatti (Becatti 1961, 24-25), its paintings by Van Essen and Borda (Van Essen 1954, 53-54; Borda 1958, 139), its masonry by Heres (Heres 1982, 92, 112-113, 166, 402-410). I placed the mosaics in the chapter "Unclassifiable evidence" in my study of private religion (Bakker 1994, 98-100). Later rather different building phases were suggested by Tione (Tione 1999; Tione 2004). The most recent discussion is by Danner (2017).

In the description the building is assumed to be oriented north-south / east-west (the intersection of Cardo Maximus and Semita del Cippi is to the south). All meas. are in metres. Th. of walls, unless indicated otherwise, c. 0.44, with the exception of 11,east and west, 10,east, south and west, and outer north, east and west walls, that have a th. of c. 0.60 or a little more. Max. preserved h. of building 2.25 from floor of room 9, 2.50 from Semita del Cippi. No lintels of doors preserved. The upper part of many walls has been restored after excavation. If no h. of threshold in relation to floor is given, both are at the same level. H. of threshold = h. of raised edge if present. The description of each room is made up of the following items:

A few spots in the building could not be investigated, because of the presence of shrubbery, or because they were covered by collapsed parts of walls. Absolute measurements of height have not been taken by me. There are considerable variations in the height of the floors. Rooms 10 and 11 are at the highest level. The following rooms are at a somewhat lower level: 1-3, 6-8, 12 and 15. The floor of the remaining rooms (4, 9, 14, 16-19) is somewhat below that level. The level of the sidewalk along the west facade is still lower. Staircase 5 is at the average level of the interior. All this is to be confirmed by absolute measurements of height. All photos were made by Jan Theo Bakker on November 11, 2007 unless indicated otherwise.

DESCRIPTION

OUTER NORTH WALL

L. c. 24.00.
Section a. L. 0.42. Latericium.
Section b. L. ? (for the most part overgrown). Rubble masonry. Rest of wall overgrown and / or covered by south wall of building 5. This last wall showing core of wall on south side. After cleaning by UnArcheo in 2007 section b can be seen to be shorter than believed so far. A window in the north wall of 18 can now be seen, in latericium, but vertical joints in the masonry below suggest that it may orginally have been a door with a threshold at a fairly high level.

OUTER EAST WALL
L. 15.31 + 0.25.
Section a. L. 12.91. Latericium. Traces of plaster.
Section b. L. 1.17. Latericium. Traces of plaster. Lower part of right vertical joint ending at 0.36 above ground-level. Large hole in lower left corner, passing through the wall: h. 0.57, w. 0.18 (back) / 0.28 (front); bottom at same level as floor of room 18, then passing through the wall downwards towards Semita.
Section c. L. 1.23 + 0.25 (0.25: north end continuing after a curve). Latericium. Traces of plaster.
Street. Pavement of basalt blocks. There are no basalt blocks touching the facade, contrary to what is indicated on plan in Becatti 1961. No remains of a sidewalk.

OUTER SOUTH WALL
L. ?
Section a. L. cannot be measured because of shrubbery. Vittatum B. Traces of plaster. In lower left corner a large travertine block, protruding.
Door to room 6. W. 1.76. In front a broken marble step, 0.23 above ground level, w. 1.61, d. 0.54. Jambs vittatum B, both resting on a travertine block. On right jamb traces of plaster. The two blocks create a raised edge on either side of threshold (edges running north-south). Threshold of one travertine block, with raised edge on south side. Square pivot hole in southeast corner. Resting on vittatum foundation. 0.27 above marble step.
Section b (left, right). L. cannot be measured because of shrubbery. East end set back 0.27, l. 0.44. Vittatum B. Lower part of east part rubble masonry below level of threshold in door to room 12. Traces of plaster.
Door to room 12. W. 1.21. In front a marble step, resting on latericium foundation. 0.21 above ground-level, w. 1.25, d. 0.45. Jambs vittatum B. On both traces of plaster. Trheshold of three travertine blocks, with raised edge on south side. Two pivot-holes, in southwest and southeast corner. Resting on rubble foundation. 0.21 above marble step.
Section c. L. cannot be measured because of shrubbery. Vittatum B, lower part rubble masonry below level of threshold. Traces of plaster.
Section d. Max. 1. 0.66. Separated from c by irregular vertical joint. Latericium. Traces of plaster.
Street. No pavement of basalt blocks in front of building. Ground level is above level of Cardo and Semita. No remains of a sidewalk.

OUTER WEST WALL
L. 16.96 (incl. adjacent stretch of wall belonging to building 5). Lower part of wall latericium, covered by a row of bricks, sesquipedales and bipedales (hereafter "row").
Section a. L. 1.38 (incl. part of building 5) - 1.29 (door to room 5) - 0.42. Part to the south of travertine south jamb of door to room 5 0.13. Latericium. Vertical joint between a and b ending at row, at h. 0.17 above ground level. Traces of plaster. Door to room 5. W. 1.29. Jambs travertine, resting on threshold. Both have a north-south running protuberance at inner side of west end, l. 0.06, th. same as th. of raised edge of threshold. South side of left jamb has vertical groove in lower part. North side of right jamb has small square hole in the centre and above a large hole in the shape of an L upside down. L. of left jamb 0.24, of right jamb 0.29. Travertine threshold, central part missing, 1.04 above ground level. Raised edge on west side. Two pivot-holes, in northwest and southwest corner. Groove running north-south in north part of threshold, starting from north pivot-hole. North-south running groove in north end of south part of threshold.
Section b. L. 0.57. Latericium, on row, starting at h. 0.23. Traces of plaster.
Door to room 4. W. 2.07. Jambs latericium, on both traces of plaster. Threshold of three travertine blocks, 0.45 above ground level. Raised edge on west side. Depression (1. 0.64) in south part, with pivot-hole in southwest corner. North-south running groove to the north of depression. Resting on latericium foundation.
Section c. L. 0.29. Latericium. Vertical joint between c and d ending at row, at 0.22 from ground level. Traces of plaster.
Section d. L. 3.19. Latericium. Vertical joint between d and e ending at row, at 0.29 above ground level. Traces of plaster.
Section e. L. 0.58. Latericium. Vertical joint between e and f ending at row, at 0.26 above ground level. Traces of plaster.
Section f. L. 2.34. Vittatum B. Vertical joint between f and g ending at row, at 0.31 above ground level. Traces of plaster, on lower part of wall (below row) as well.
Section g. L. 4.83. Above row, lower part: latericium (two-three rows of bricks in central part, nine in north part). Above row, upper part: vittatum B. Traces of plaster on both parts.
Street. Pavement of basalt blocks. Sidewalk indicated by a single row of basalt blocks, running parallel to facade, at a slightly higher level than Cardo, separating street and sidewalk. Ground level next to building is at av. h. 0.31 above level of Cardo. W. of sidewalk: 0.80 (south end), 1.10 (centre), 1.55 (north end).

ROOM 1
A. 1.43 x 2.77 x 2.07 x 2.75.
B. North, door to room 2. W. 1.43. Left jamb vittatum B. Right jamb vittatum simplex, with very slight traces of plaster. Travertine threshold. No raised edge, two pivot holes: in northwest and northeast corner. W. 0.27.
East, door to room 6. W. 1.05. Jambs vittatum simplex, slight traces of plaster on left jamb. Travertine threshold with a very worn raised edge on east side and a very worn pivot-hole in northeast corner.
Section a. L. 1.72. Vittatum simplex. Traces of plaster.
South, a. L.2.07. Vittatum simplex.
West, a. L. 2.75 (up to threshold). Vittatum B (a single row of bricks on top of tufa blocks, directly above the floor). Traces of plaster.
C. Bricks indicated on plan in Becatti 1961. Floor covered, but confirmed.

ROOM 2
A. 2.67 x 3.91 x 2.48 x 4.11.
B. North, a. L. 2.67. Vittatum simplex. Traces of plaster. In lower right part remains of a superimposed layer (min. th. 0.01).
East, a. L. 0.61. Vittatum simplex. Traces of plaster.
Section b. L. 1.10. Latericium, with a few tufa stones in lower part. Remains of plaster.
Section c. L. 0.96. Vittatum simplex. Traces of plaster.
Section d. L. 1.24. Vittatum simplex. Traces of plaster.
South, a. L. 1.05. Vittatum simplex. Traces of plaster.
West, a. L. 1.46. Vittatum B (a single row of bricks on top of tufa blocks, directly above the floor), some latericium in lower right part. Traces of plaster.
Section b. L. 2.34. Vittatum B (a single row of bricks on top of tufa blocks, directly above the floor; a bit higher than the row in section a). Traces of plaster.
Section c. L. 0.31. Latericium.
C. No data available.

ROOM 3
A. 2.82 x 2.50 x 2.72 x 2.72.
B. North, a. L. 2.82. Vittatum simplex. Traces of plaster.
East, a. L. 0.44. Vittatum simplex. Traces of plaster.
Door to room 8. W. 1.17. Jambs vittatum simplex. Travertine threshold. No raised edge, pivot-hole in southeast corner.
Section b. L. 0.89. Vittatum simplex. Traces of plaster.
South, a. L. 2.72. Vittatum simplex. Lower right part of facing missing. Traces of plaster.
West, a. L. 2.72. Latericium. Traces of plaster.
C. Black-and-white mosaic. Emblema with remains of gorgoneion directly behind threshold, to be looked at from entrance. Around emblema black and white tesserae, without a pattern. Meas. of emblema 1.80 x 1.80. Floor now covered. Description of emblema: Becatti 1961, 25 nr. 40.

ROOM 4
A. 2.93 x 2.02 x 2.80 x 2.52.
B. North, a. L. 2.93. Vittatum simplex. Slight traces of plaster.
East, a. L.2.02. Vittatum simplex.
South, a (left, right). L.2.80. Vittatum simplex. Slight traces of plaster. Facing partially missing in lower left part. Possibly some structure was inserted in the wall here.
West, a. L. 0.16. Latericium. Traces of plaster.
Section b. L. 0.29. Latericium. Traces of plaster.
C. No data available.

ROOM 5 (staircase).
B. North, a. Latericium. Traces of plaster.
South, a. Latericium. Traces of plaster.
West, section a (= travertine jamb). L. c. 0.21.
Section b (= travertine jamb). L. c. 0.16.
C. Bricks.
E. Staircase running west-east. Six treads preserved, inserted in north and south wall. Each tread made of several travertine blocks and resting on latericium. Starting at av. dist. 0.92 from west wall. First riser 0.20, first tread av. 0.29, 1. 1.73. Second riser 0.20, second tread av. 0.32. Third riser 0.20, third tread 0.29. Fourth riser 0.20, fourth tread 0.30, 1. 1.67. Fifth riser 0.22, fifth tread 0.29 (partly preserved). Sixth riser 0.22, sixth tread 0.30 (partly preserved).

ROOM 6
A. 6.71 x 3.23 x 4.75 2.87.
B. North, a. L. 1.21 (from threshold). Vittatum simplex. Traces of plaster.
Door to room 7. W. 2.22. Left jamb vittatum simplex, with traces of plaster. Right jamb latericium, with traces of plaster. Threshold of three travertine blocks, 0.12 above floor. Smooth surface, no pivot-holes.
Section b. L. 0.96. Latericium. Traces of plaster.
Section c. L. 1.86. Bench. Lower part (seat) vittatum B, with traces of plaster. Surface of seat covered by (modern?) cement. H. 0.48, d. 0.28. Upper part, sides: latericium, with traces of plaster. Upper part, back: core of wall, with remains of plaster.
Section d. L. 0.46. Latericium. Traces of plaster.
East, a. L. 0.43. Vittatum simplex. Traces of plaster.
Door to room 13. W. 0.91. Jambs vittatum simplex, with traces of plaster. Marble threshold with smooth surface. No pivot-hole visible, but south part of threshold covered by fallen plaster.
Section b. L. 0.31. Vittatum simplex. Traces of plaster.
Section c. L. 1.58. Vittatum simplex. Traces of plaster.
South, a. L. 2.33. Vittatum B (a single row of bricks on top of tufa blocks, directly above the floor; a few bricks higher up in the wall). Traces of plaster.
Section b. L. 0.66. Vittatum B (a single row of bricks on top of tufa blocks, directly above the floor; a few bricks higher up in the wall).
West, a. L. 1.86. Vittatum simplex. Traces of plaster.
Door to room 1. W. 1.01. Threshold 0.12 above floor of room.
C. No data available.

ROOM 7
A. 2.30 x 4.18 (incl. jamb) x. 2.45 x c. 3.64.
B. North, door to room 8. W. 0.86. Left jamb vittatum simplex. Right jamb (th. 0.28) latericium, with traces of plaster.
Section a. L. 1.44. Latericium, with a few tufa stones. Traces of plaster.
East, a. L. 0.32. Latericium. Traces of plaster.
Door to room 10. W. 2.42. Jambs latericium, with traces of plaster. Travertine threshold, three blocks, outer blocks broken. Smooth surface. Two pivot-holes in northeast part (outer block). Possibly pivot-hole in southeast part (outer block), filled with cement. Small square hole in southwest part of south block. Threshold resting on bricks and tufa stones. 0.24 above floor of room 7.
Section b. L. 0.40. Latericium. Traces of plaster.
Section c. L. 1.04 (incl. jamb). Latericium. Traces of plaster.
South, a. L. 0.23. Vittatum simplex.
West, a. L. 1.26. Vittatum simplex. Traces of plaster.
Section b. L. 0.94. Vittatum simplex. Lower part of facing missing.
Section c. L. 1.10. Latericium, with a few tufa stones, a piece of marble and a piece of travertine. Traces of plaster.
Section d. L. c. 0.34 (2.01 up to jamb in room 8, door to room 3). Vittatum simplex. Traces of plaster.
C. Black-and-white mosaic with geometrical pattern, now covered. Description: Becatti 1961, p. 25 nr. 39, Tav. CCXX.

ROOM 8
A. 2.33 x c. 4.03 x 2.30 x c. 4.03.
B. North, door to room 9. W. 0.89. Jambs vittatum simplex. Threshold of one travertine block. Smooth surface, no pivot-holes.
Section a. L. 1.44. Th. 0.37. Vittatum simplex. Opening between north and east wall, in opening east wall can be seen to be showing core of wall. Traces of plaster.
East, a. L. c. 0.22. Vittatum B. Traces of plaster.
Door to room 11. W. c. 0.91. Jambs showing core of wall. Threshold of one travertine block, lying in east half of opening and in room 11. Smooth surface. One pivot-hole in north part, but too close to jamb to have been used. West half of opening at lower level (may have contained step). Surface of threshold 0.30 above floor of room 8.
Section b. L. c. 0.79. Latericium, some vittatum B in left end. Traces of plaster.
Section c. L. 1.80. Vittatum B, facing partially missing. Modern restoration suggests window, sill (of sesquipedales) at h. 1.18. Traces of plaster.
Section d. L. 0.31. Latericium. Traces of plaster.
South, a. L. 1.44. Vittatum B. Traces of plaster.
West, a. L. c. 1.39. Vittatum simplex, lower part of facing missing. Traces of plaster.
Section b. L. (up to threshold) 1.47. Vittatum simplex, lower part of facing missing.
C. Remains of a black-and-white mosaic with geometrical pattern. Now covered. Description: Becatti 1961, p. 25 nr. 39, Tav. CCXX.

ROOM 9
A. 4.86 x 2.22 x 2.33 (east part)/2.70 (west part) x 1.42 (southeast part)/1.69 (northwest part).
B. North, a. L. 2.83. Latericium. Traces of plaster.
Section b. L. 0.95. Tufa stones in irregular pattern. Traces of plaster.
Section c. L. 1.08. Reticulatum mixtum. Traces of plaster.
East, a. L. 2.22. Vittatum A. Traces of plaster.
South, a. L. 1.44. Vittatum simplex.
Section b. L. 2.70. Vittatum simplex.
West, a. L. 1.42. Vittatum simplex.
Section b. L. 1.69. Vittatum simplex. Not clear whether forming entity with south.
C. No data available.
D. Staircase 5 resting on barrel vault, bottom of which is still partly covered with bricks, av. meas. 0.20 x 0.20.

ROOM 10
A. c. 5.08 x 4.45 x 2.79 x 5.96.
B. North,a. L. 0.85. Vittatum simplex, lower left part of facing fallen.
Door to room 11. W. 2.17. Left jamb vittatum simplex, right jamb collapsed. Threshold made of three travertine blocks. No raised edge. Pivot-hole in southwest part of first block. Part of surface of central block damaged (no pivot-hole as indicated on plan in Becatti 1961). Pivot-hole indicated in third block on plan in Becatti 1961: could not be confirmed because covered by collapsed jamb. Threshold resting on latericium. 0.18 above floor of room 10.
Section b. L. 1.14. Latericium, with a few tufa stones. Lower right part of facing fallen. Traces of plaster.
Section c. L. incl. jamb 1.52. Vittatum simplex.
East, door (north) to room 14. W. 0.99. Left jamb vittatum simplex, with remains of plaster (th. 0.015). Right jamb latericium, with traces of plaster. Threshold of one marble block. Smooth surface, two pivot-holes, in northeast and southeast corner. Resting on vittatum B. 0.12 above floor of room.
Section a. L. 0.76. Latericium. Traces of plaster.
Door (south) to room 14. W. 2.05. Jambs latericium, with traces of plaster. Threshold of four travertine blocks in west part, 0.12 above floor, w. 0.35. Possibly shallow pivot-hole in northwest part of first block, next to jamb. Step of four bricks (two of these bipedales) in east part. 0.17 above floor of room 14, 0.20 below threshold, w. 0.26. Threshold resting on bricks, step resting on tufa stones.
Section b. L. 0.65. Latericium. Traces of plaster.
South, a. L. 0.60. Latericium. Traces of plaster.
Section b. L. 1.86. Vittatum simplex. Remains of a thick layer of plaster (0.05), looking like opus signinum, partly having fairly smooth surface.
Section c. L. 0.33. Latericium. Traces of plaster.
West, a. L. 0.49. Latericium. Traces of plaster.
Section b. L. 0.42. Latericium. Traces of plaster.
Door to room 7. Threshold 0.16 above floor.
Section c. L. 0.91. Latericium, lower part of facing fallen. Traces of plaster.
Section d. L. 1.72. Latericium, lower left part of facing fallen. Traces of plaster.
C. Covered, but indicated on plan in Becatti 1961. Central part: white tesserae. Edges: black and white tesserae, no pattern.
E. Basin, parallel to south wall, made of four white marble plates. Upper part damaged. Small round hole in left part of north plate, directly above floor. Inside covered with opus signinum (th. 0.02, in corners 0.05). Preserved h. from bottom 0.31. Ext. meas. 0.62 x 0.61, int. meas. 0.505 x 0.485. Northwest corner 1.14 from threshold to room 11.

ROOM 11
A. 6.86 x 3.97 x 5.25 x c. 4.00.
B. North, a (left, right). L. 6.86. Mixtum. Traces of plaster.
East, a. L. 2.27. Vittatum simplex. Traces of plaster.
Section b. L. 1.06. Latericium. Traces of plaster.
Section c. L. 0.64. Vittatum simplex.
South, a. L. 0.88. Vittatum simplex. Traces of plaster.
Section b. L. not measurable on this side. Latericium, with a few tufa stones. Traces of plaster.
Section c. L. 1.06. Vittatum simplex. Traces of plaster.
West, a. L. c. 0.45. Latericium, some vittatum in east end. Traces of plaster.
Section b. L. c. 2.64. Vittatum B. Traces of plaster.
C. Slightly damaged black-and-white mosaic (missing in northwest corner). Emblema with gorgoneion directly behind threshold, to be looked at from entrance. To the north, east and west of emblema rectangles. with geometrical pattern, east rectangle wider than others (three bands instead of two). Edges: black and white tesserae, no pattern. Now covered. Description: Becatti 1961, p. 25 nr. 41, Tav. LXXII. Meas. of emblema 2.30 x 2.30.

ROOM 12
A. 0.79 (east part, back wall of staircase) x 2.61 x 2.30 x 1.22.
B. North, a. Curved wall, not measurable. Vittatum simplex. Traces of plaster.
Section b (back wall of staircase). L. 0.79. Vittatum B, facing on line with north jamb of door to room 15.
East, door to room 15. W. 1.14. Left jamb vittatum A, almost completely collapsed, with traces of plaster. Right jamb vittatum B, west part collapsed, with traces of plaster. Plan in Becatti 1961 indicates threshold of bricks: not confirmed.
Section a. L. 1.47. Vittatum B. Traces of plaster.
South, a. L. 0.59. Vittatum B. Traces of plaster.
Section b. L. 0.50. Vittatum B. Traces of plaster.
West, a. L. 1.22. Vittatum simplex. Traces of plaster.
C. No data available.

ROOM 13
A. 0.95 x 1.60 x 1.68 (md. jamb) x 1.42.
B. North, door to room 14. W. 0.95. Left jamb latericium, with traces of plaster. Right jamb vittatum simplex, with traces of plaster. Threshold of two travertine blocks. Smooth surface, no pivot-hole.
East, a. L. 1.60. Vittatum simplex.
South, a. L. incl. jamb 1.68. Vittatum simplex. On east and south wall extensive remains of plaster, largely fallen. Two layers. First layer (th. 0.025) has, on a white background, horizontal and vertical light red bands (th. 0.025). Two of these bands, one on east and one on south, follow the corner between both walls.
West, door to room 6. W. 0.81.
Section a. L. 0.61. Vittatum simplex. Traces of plaster.
C. White tesserae.

ROOM 14 (with staircase) (north part, south part).
A. 2.58 x 10.30 (up to north jamb of door 12-15) x 2.30 x 8.92.
B. North, a. L. 2.58. Mixtum. Traces of plaster.
East, a. L. 0.81. Vittatum simplex. Traces of plaster.
Door to room 18. W. 1.02. Left jamb vittatum simplex. Right jamb vittatum B, with remains of plaster. Threshold of one travertine block, not broken as is indicated on plan in Becatti 1961. Part of a shallow pivot-hole in northwest part, next to jamb.
Section b. L. 1.10. Vittatum B. Remains of plaster (th. 0.035). Two dark-red bands (th. 0.035) form a V on a white background. Traces of a light-red vertical band. Traces of a superimposed layer.
Section c. L. 0.25. Vittatum B.
Door to room 17. W. 1.03. Jambs vittatum B, both with traces of plaster. Small vertical groove in left jamb (0.05 x 0.15), starting at 0.99 from threshold. Trheshold of one travertine block. Two pivot-holes, in northwest and southwest corner.
Section d. L. 2.53. Vittatum B. Traces of plaster.
Section e. L. 0.25. Vittatum B.
Door to room 16. W. 1.01. Jambs vittatum B, right jamb almost completely collapsed. Travertine threshold, almost completely covered by collapsed jamb. Pivot-hole in northwest corner.
Section f. L. (up to north jamb of door between 12 and 15) 2.30. Vittatum B. Traces of plaster.
South, staircase. Six treads preserved. In 2007 one tread had disappeared, apparently during a restoration. It reappeared in 2008. Each tread made of several travertine blocks and resting on bricks. Not inserted into wall. West wall of staircase is continuation of curved wall in room 12. First tread lying in room 14, 0.02 above floor, av. w. 0.26. Second riser 0.19, second tread av. 0.28, 1. 0.89. Third riser 0.21, third tread av. 0.25. Fourth riser 0.20, fourth tread av. 0.26. Fifth riser 0.20, fifth tread av. 0.26. Sixth riser 0.20, sixth tread av. 0.26, 1. 0.79.
Section a. L. 0.46. Vittatum simplex. Traces of plaster.
Door to room 13. W. 0.97. Threshold 0.11 above floor of room 14.
West, a. L. (from threshold) 0.68. Latericium. Traces of plaster.
Section b. L. 0.75. Latericium. Traces of plaster.
Door (north) to room 10. Threshold 0.43 above floor.
Section c. L. 0.43. Vittatum B, with one row of bricks. Remains of plaster (th. 0.015). On a white background remains of vertical dark-red bands and traces of light-red paint. Very shallow graffito (h. 0.025): a row of six X's or X's and V's. Traces of a superimposed layer.
Section d. L. 0.63. Vittatum B. Traces of plaster.
Section e. L. 1.04. Latericium.
Section f. L. 2.35. Vittatum B.
C. Black-and-white mosaic, north half damaged, with geometrical pattern. Now covered, description: Becatti 1961, p. 25 nr. 44.

ROOM 15
A. 2.24 x 3.72 x 1.04 x 3.65.
B. North, a. L. 2.24. Vittatum B. Traces of plaster.
East, a (left, right). L. 3.72. Vittatum B. Traces of plaster.
South, a. L. 1.04. Vittatum B. Traces of plaster.
West, a. L. 1.52. Vittatum B. Traces of plaster.
West, b. Vittatum B.
C. Covered. Bricks indicated on plan in Becatti 1961 and confirmed. C. 0.23 above floor of room 12. Bipedales according to Becatti (1949, 6).
E. One segment of a terracotta heating-pipe lying in room. Meas. 0.08 x 0.12.

ROOM 16
A. 3.52 x 3.58 x 2.40 x 3.56.
B. North, a. L. 3.52. Vittatum B.
East, a. L. 3.58. Vittatum B.
South, a. L. 2.40. Vittatum B. Part of lower part of facing has fallen.
West, a. L. 0.79. Vittatum B. Facing largely fallen.
Section b. L. 0.26. Vittatum B.
Section c. L. 1.50. Vittatum B.
Plaster. On all walls, with the exception of west,b extensive remains of plaster (th. 0.03). Light-red vertical and horizontal bands (th. 0.025) on a white background. Superimposed a very thin layer, with dark-red vertical and horizontal bands (th. 0.02 to 0.025, and 0.07) and yellow paint. Traces of a third layer, thick (as are all other superimposed layers mentioned in this description). Becatti (1949, 6) has noted "tracce di intonaco dipinto con zoccolatura di opera isodoma a finto marmo".
C. Black-and-white mosaic. Rectangle with geometrical pattern. Edges: white tesserae. Either west,a has been set upon rectangle, or mosaicist has worked somewhat carelessly (cf. plan in Becatti 1961; this part of the mosaic could not be investigated, because covered by fallen facing of west,a and collapsed jamb of door to room 14). Now covered, description: Becatti 1961, p. nr. 43, Tav. XLVIII.
E. A hypocaust for heating the room was found by UnArcheo in 2008 (photo: UnArcheo). Plan of the hypocausts in rooms 16 and 17 (UnArcheo).

ROOM 17
A. 4.75 x 3.46 x 3.68 x 2.56.
B. North, a (left, right). L. 4.75. Vittatum B. Part of lower part of facing has fallen. Directly above floor a large hole, passing through the wall, 2.48/3.20 from west wall, h. 0.42.
East, a. L. 3.46. Vittatum B. Traces of plaster.
South, a (left, right). L. 3.68. Vittatum B. Part of lower part of facing has fallen. Remains of plaster. In east part the facing creates (i.e. no missing facing) three vertical heating channels, the backs and sides of which are covered with plaster (th. 0.03). Lower part of first and second channel covered by bricks, to h. 0.20 from floor. Dist. from plaster to front of bricks 0.105. Dist. of channels from east wall (meas. from walls of channels, not plaster): 0.11/0.47; 0.78/1.23; 1.52/1.99. Front parts wider because of sudden widening (two right angles). W. of back parts: 0.26 (from wall to wall); 0.24 (from plaster to plaster); 0.24 (from plaster to plaster). D. incl. front parts (meas. from back walls, not plaster): 0.08; 0.09; 0.09. D. of back parts (meas. from back walls): 0.06; 0.065; 0.06. According to Becatti (1949, 6) the channels "erano rivestite di bipedali tenuti da chiodi di ferro". In 2007 the heating channels had almost completely collapsed. They can still be seen on this photo from 1987. In 2008 UnArcheo found the tubes connecting the channels with the hypocaust (photo: UnArcheo; for the hypocaust see below).
West, a. L. 0.58. Vittatum B. Remains of plaster.
Section b. L. 0.28. Vittatum B. Traces of plaster.
Section c. L. 0.67. Vittatum B. Remains of plaster (th. 0.02), with remains of dark-red and green paint. Becatti notes (1949, 6): "Conserva tracce di intonaco dipinto a finti marmi colorati".
C. Black-and-white mosaic. Emblema with gorgoneion directly behind threshold, to be looked at from entrance. In emblema, to the west of gorgoneion, text GORGONI BITA. To the east of gorgoneion rectangle (c. 1.20 x 2.20), with geometrical patterns. Around emblema and gorgoneion black and white tesserae, no pattern. Now covered, description of emblema: Becatti 1961, p. 25 nr. 42, Tav. LXXII. Meas. of emblema c. 2.00 x 2.30. The floor in September 2009.
E. A hypocaust for heating the room was found by UnArcheo in 2008. SO I, 158 reports two heated rooms, which must be 16 and 17. Plan of the hypocausts in rooms 16 and 17 (UnArcheo). Photo 1; photo 2; photo 3 (photos: UnArcheo).

ROOM 18
For the most part not measurable because of shrubbery in 1987. The room was cleaned by UnArcheo in 2007.
B. North, a. Latericium.
Section b. L. c. 1.00. Latericium. Lower part of left and right vertical joint irregular. In 2007 after cleaning by UnArcheo a window had become visible, but vertical joints in the masonry below suggest that it may orginally have been a door with a threshold at a fairly high level.
Section c. Latericium.
East, a. Latericium.
Section b. Vittatum simplex. In the lower right corner, directly above the floor, is a large hole passing through the wall. In 2008 UnArcheo found a channel below the south wall leading to the hypocaust of room 17 (photo: UnArcheo).
Section c. Latericium.
South, a (left, right). Vittatum B. Remains of plaster. In the left part, directly above the floor, is a large hole passing through the wall.
West, a. L. 0.85. Vittatum simplex.
C. No data available. C. 0.75 above Semita dei Cippi.
E. A west-east running drainage channel and an inspection pit were found by UnArcheo in 2008. Photo 1; photo 2; photo 3; photo 4; photo 5 (photos: UnArcheo).

REMAINING DATA
Total area incl. walls: c. 260 m2.
The only entry in the Giornale degli Scavi is: "24-IV-'40. IV Lotto. Nelle stanze sul lato E del cardo all’estremità S di fronte al foro triangolare si trovano due frammenti iscritti" (Giornale degli Scavi 26, page 102; cf. Becatti 1949, 6).
Fragment 1: [---]CESS[---] | [---]VGI[---]. Meas. 0.20 x 0.17, h. of letters 0.06. Inv. nr. 7667.
Fragment 2: [---]M.CLOD[---] | [---]ZENOMIS[---] | [---] | [---] | [---]IVGISVAEO[---] | [---]DEIRENEESTI[---]. Meas. 0.30 x 0.22, h. of letters 0.025. Inv. nr. 6411.

[jthb - 13-Dec-2020]