House of the Dolphins (Maison des dauphins)

Dates

Early 3rd century CE

Garden Description

The vast house (3000-3500 m2) is laid out around a large peristyle garden (Plan view, Fig.1). The large sunken garden (X, 16 x 16.25 m) was enclosed by a low wall (0.70 m high) and had a large semicircular basin (dia. 3.10 m) between the fifth and the sixth column facing a reception room (XXV). A rectangular aedicula with four columns facing the oecus (XXXVII) extended in the garden on the W.

Two lararia (32 B, XXXV) open off of porticos XI and XIII respectively.

Plans

Fig. 1: House of the Dolphins (CMT, plans 5-6)

Bibliography

  • Bullo, S., Ghedini, F., Amplissimae atque ornatissimae domus: l'edilizia residenziale nelle città della Tunisia romana, Rome: Edizioni Quasar, 2003,pp.309-312. (worldcat)
  • Dulière, C., Corpus des Mosaïques de Tunisie, Thysdrus, El Jem, Quartier Sud-Ouest, INA, Tunis, 1996, pp. 67-75, plans 5-6. (worldcat)

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