The Houses of Insula 7

Thu, 01 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Dates

Unspecified

Garden Description

This insula southeast of the forum is commonly referred to as an industrial quarter (Plan 1). It was divided into several long, narrow plots on which were houses, shops and workshops.

Between the buildings were open areas, some paved and equipped with ovens and pottery kilns, wells and latrines, others unpaved. Some of the small courtyards have been reconstructed by the excavators as kitchen gardens and shrine gardens (Image 1). Organic material from a well in this insula included the remains of peas, beans, lentils, apples, pears and herbs. These fruits and vegetables may have grown in kitchen gardens in the insula, but they may, on the other hand, have been brought into the city from nearby farms.

Plans

Plan 1. Plan of the houses in Insula 7 with paved (stippled) and unpaved courtyards. The black dots are wells.

Credit: Adapted from Precht and Rüger 1991.

Images

Image 1. Model of the houses in Insula 7 with courtyard garden.

Credit: Photo courtesy of M. Carroll.

Bibliography

H.G. Horn, ed., Die Römer in Nordrhein-Westfalen, Stuttgart, 1987, pp. 634-636, fig. 542 (incorrectly labeled as Insula 26). worldcat
G. Precht and C.B. Rüger, Archaologischer Stadtplan. Colonia Ulpia Traiana, Cologne, 1991. worldcat