Dokumentation, Interpretation und urbanistische Situation

Location

Insula 16 lies in the northern section of the city in Regio VI directly in front of the Vesuvius Gate, through which flows the busy traffic from the affluent region of Vesuvius, past the insula and on into the city. The building block, in contrast to the other building rows of Insulae of Regio VI, cuts at an acute angle through the junction of the two diverging street systems before the Vesuvius Gate. One can also speak of a »leftover insula«, whose formation creates a number of fundamental questions on urban development. The insula measures ca. 3120 square meters and contains 21 enclosed households between 800 and 20 square meters.

Objectives

The insula is known as the »Casa degli Amorini dorati« and was richly furnished with a garden peristyle, marble sculpture and frescoes. Aside from another peristyle house (see below), the insula possesses many small simple dwellings and above all numerous shops, taverns and small commercial enterprises which had been situated there to take advantage of the busy thoroughfare. This dense collection of large houses, fulfilling various functions whose structural integration and intensive economic output, is characteristic of the structural layout of insulae. The goal of the project is first to attain an exact plan of the whole structure of the insula and to expand on the interpretation of the finds from the insula begun by the former DAI/DFG Project »Häuser in Pompeji«. It is intended to arrive at an understanding of the origin and historical development of this distinctly diverse construction based upon the economic needs and social requirements of the insula inhabitants. In the process, the special urban situation of the insula will be taken into account.

Recent Activities

Work on the condition report of the insula began in October 1997 with the north section. A ground plan (scale of 1:50) of the large building complex to the north, consisting of two interconnected properties, a tavern (entrance nr. 20-25) and a impressive peristyle (entrance nr. 19, 26-27), is expected to be completed. The processed area is comprised of ca. 775 m2 of surface area equivalent of 1/4 of the total area of the insula.

Results

The investigation has just begun and therefore only provisional results are available. The northern building complex appears to date back to an old apportionment of the insula. Beginning in the early Imperial period, tavern nr. 20-25 was converted in three main phases resulting in a two-storied building with a pillared hall at the front. The revision that placed the porch of the pillared hall over the road surface in the 2nd phase, therefore »occupying« public space, is a highly instructive example of the still unresolved question of the legal assessment of private and public property. To the south, the formerly elegant peristyle house nr. 19, 26-27, in its last phase shortly before 79 A.D,. had its original residential function partially lost when some of its residential space was modified for economic use. The former atrium area, an open construction area prior to 79 A.D., was rebuilt specifically for this purpose while the inhabitants virtually used almost the entire upper floors for living space. Already during the oldest phase of the house (first wall-painting style), renovations were carried out, the relative sequence of which can provide new information.

Cooperation / Cooperation partners

The project is being carried out in conjunction with the »Progetto Pompei« of the Pompeii Soprintendenza.

Bibliography

F. Seiler, Casa degli Amorini dorati, Häuser in Pompeji 5 (1992).